YouTube bigwig feels looks determine work

YouTube Sensation Sahil Khattar rose to popularity with his first video called ‘Being Single’ on his channel ‘Being Indian’. In a short span of time, he has created a name for himself in both the digital and television space. In a chat with Surupasree Sarmmah, Sahil talks about his journey, the many challenges he faced and his future plans.

Tell us about your journey till now.

I shifted to Mumbai seven years ago though my parents were totally against it. I came to the city without planning anything. I saw a lot of ups and downs in the years that followed. I didn’t have much work coming my way towards 2014. That was when ‘Being Indian’ came my way. Later on my television career also took a leap and I associated with projects like ‘Dance India Dance Season 6’, ‘Pro Wrestling League’ and a travel show called ‘The Expedition’.

You started your career as an RJ in Chandigarh at the age of 17. How was that experience?

It was thrilling at that time because I was just 17 and I was earning on my own. After a year, I became a very popular radio jockey and my show ‘Love Guru’ was a big hit. However, there were only two radio stations in Chandigarh in those days and I started thinking about what to do next.

How did you get into this field?

I started off as an assistant producer and then went back to radio. After all these job changes, finally auditions started coming my way. People slowly started noticing me as someone who does a lot of funny characters.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in your career?

I wanted to work in front of the camera but the question was who will give me that work! But the biggest challenge that I experienced was my looks. I was rejected by many because I don’t have the looks and physique of a conventional hero. I still face problems in letting people know that my talent cannot surpass the fact that I don’t have the conventional look of an actor.

So do you believe that looks matter at the end of the day?

Totally! There is a reason why people think I am funny. Kids crack up looking at me on television. But no one understands that at the end of the day, I am also a serious performer. As a matter of fact, I also want to go ahead and act and do roles that really good actors are doing. That is the problem with Bollywood because in Hollywood Jamie Foxx can do ‘Django Unchained’ and also get an Oscar for ‘Ray’ and he started off as a standup comedian. However, I am positive that things are going to change soon for me too.

What do you think of the standup comedy scene in India?

I am really happy that it is booming in the country. There are a lot of people in this field who are doing great. But I still have a problem with how it is received in our country. I wish everybody had the maturity to understand that if you don’t like the joke, skip the video and watch something else. Why sue somebody and ruin their career?

What are your future plans?

The future holds a lot of promise for films and web series. My long-term dream is to become a writer and actor. I want to foray into a lot of things and absorb the spotlight in a positive way.

Some of his YouTube videos include:

• Every Punjabi guy in the world
• Punjabis on the phone
• Khattarnaak Techies
• Momos pe charcha