Ever caught yourself doomscrolling, hopping from one Reel to another, only to emerge more overwhelmed than entertained? Blame the algorithm, perhaps, but content creator Khushaal Pawaar (@khushaal_pawaar on Instagram) wants you to look at the bigger picture. Known for weaving social and political commentary into his character-driven comedy, Pawaar uses the very medium that keeps us glued to our screens to hold up a mirror to society.

Having started out during the lockdown, he has built an audience while navigating the commercial pressures and ethical dilemmas of the creator economy. Now, the former casting associate on Kabir Singh (2019) and casting director on Animal (2023) is looking beyond short-form content, with ambitions to establish himself as an actor and storyteller. His latest short film, The Vijay Theory, is about information overload and is now available to watch on his YouTube channel.

“I had this interest in performing arts since my childhood. I was doing theatre before this, and I also had some radio background. I was always writing stuff for bands or creating jingles and all that. During lockdown, I had free time and no acting projects, so I thought I would try it [content creation]. That is how the journey started,” he says.

While social media offers creators the possibility of turning a hobby into a career, Pawaar points out that the business has become increasingly challenging. “In the last one-and-a-half to two years, it has become tough for content creators to get brand collaborations. You have to be careful about what you put out and how far you are willing to go. Sometimes you go three or four months without brands. You have to think about your morals, but you also have to run your house.”

That balancing act becomes particularly complicated when the money comes with questions about what a creator is willing to endorse. “I have not done betting app promotions on my page. Even if I have acted for them, I have made sure I don’t post it directly on my page. There is a line you have to draw. I will not do paan masala,” he explains.

Pawaar’s approach to content is also shaped by his background in theatre and radio, where storytelling is central to the craft. “I try to make family content that people across India can understand. I don’t want to make it too high-fi; I want to reach the masses. It is rare that I go edgy with my writing. I try to ensure that every Reel has a little story or a character arc,” he says.

For Pawaar, social media is also a means of financing the projects he wants to pursue as an actor. Despite his experience in casting, the roles he hopes to play have not always come his way, prompting him to create his own opportunities. 

One such project is his short film, Vijay, which examines how the abundance of information and opinions online can leave people struggling to make decisions. The film draws on the anxieties familiar to young people who find themselves comparing their lives with what they see on social media.

“The film is about how we are flooded with information and so many opinions. Even if you want to buy something or decide to do something, there are so many options, and every option is trying to get your attention. It is difficult to choose a career, start over, or pick a path and walk on it confidently. It also talks about mental health issues. A lot of beginners and students procrastinate and hesitate. You see so many people on social media and feel that you want to do something too, but you don’t know where to start,” he says.

The response to the film has been encouraging, particularly when viewers tell him that it has prompted them to act on something they had been putting off. Pawaar hopes to make it available to a wider audience, while exploring a festival run and the possibility of expanding the story.

“I wanted to share it with the young audience of India and make it available for free. I recently got a message from a guy who said that after watching my film, he took one step forward and was meeting an investor that day. He had been procrastinating, but he emailed and set up a call. That was a surreal moment for me.”

For Pawaar, the larger ambition is to move from creating content for screens to making cinema that draws audiences into theatres.

“In the next five years, I want to be doing a lot of cinema, making films that people buy tickets to watch, or presenting or doing a show on an OTT platform. My goal is to grow as an actor and, especially, as a storyteller.”