Arvind Sharma - Anyone Can Do It, Just Show Them What You Have And Believe In Yourself (Actor)

Anyone can create content but how you present it to your audience is on your shoulders.

1. Tell us about your background and journey?

I am from Rewari which is a small district of Haryana. I am from a simple traditional Indian family. Over the passing years, I live alone with my mother, after my sister's marriage last year. When I was in 11th standard my father met with an accident and in that unfortunate event, I lost my father forever. He was a businessman. 

When I look back and see at that moment I realise how weak and hopeless you become when you lose a parent at such a young age. The time was very hard for my family. As I was the sole support of my family. I now see how it made me a better and responsible person. 

When something like this happens with you it actually puts your life into perspective. The hardest part for me during that time was juggling between my studies and my family business. 

When I passed 12th in 2014, I took admission in B.com but after completing 1st year I dropped out because I felt like the subject wasn't speaking to me. Then I did Graduation in mass communication and during my studies, I also created my YouTube channel. 

I made a variety of content starting with public reaction, short films, skits, pranks, etc. During this course, I worked for other YouTube channels and News channels too like STV Haryana news, NDTV, The newsy. Currently, I am just concentrating on my YouTube channel called ARVIND SHARMA. 

While working for my channel I completed my Post graduation in Mass communication and now preparing for NET JRF. Because according to me fame and spotlight don't stay for long but the knowledge and education we earn goes a long way. 

I feel like experience makes you a better person with time and it could be seen in your work too. In this journey called life, my mother, sister adn my friends always supported me no matter what. I think the trust and the belief they have in me, inspires me to do better each and every day.


2. When did you first decide that you wanted to create content and how did you start?

That is a really good question as you see people get inspired by others to do something or to be something. It's not like they try to copy they think that if they can why can't we. In 2016 Bhuvan bam was getting really famous, that inspired me and I decided to make comedy content. 

When I first started I used my selfie camera to shoot a comedy monologue, and skits but with each video, I started improving myself, and now when I compare my work from my earliest to current, I see how much I have grown as a creator, an actor and especially as a person. 

Because social media is full of haters, fans and critics. It was hard for me to cope up with these. But eventually, you grow into it.


3. Is vlogging and YouTube content creation a financially sustainable career?

I don't think any career is financially sustainable unless and until you grow in that field. If you love to create content present your ideas in front of an audience not expecting applause but just giving your best. 

Vlogging and YouTube can be financially sustainable if with time we create a face value of ourselves. Because no matter what the platform is the meaning of struggle is the same. 

The famous creators aren't just making YouTube videos they take sponsorship if they get a chance of modelling they take it. According to me every platform these days is driven by face value and the quality of work. So if you wanna adopt content creation you have to give your 100% of yourself in it.


4. Who is your favourite creator and why?

Well picking a creator on favourite terms is hard for me cause there are so many good creators of different genres and every one of them has something special to offer. Currently, I love Harsh Beniwal's and Swagger Sharama's content. 

The script, sketches and acting is bringing out the best of themselves. If in near future I ever get a chance to work with them or collaborate it would be my great pleasure. Because their team is very talented and is a great opportunity for learning and improving.


5. How and where you find an inspiration to churn out content?

Well, I think to churn out a content you have to get inspired with your surroundings. If we see every person in this world tells a story. Some have funny, some sad, some simple, some traditional and so many kinds of stories. 

When I go out I have a habit of observing how people behave in certain situations. But there is one more important aspect of my inspiration, it's the movies I have seen since childhood actors like Jhonny Lever sir, Govinda sir and Akshay Kumar sir. 

They did many movies and the roles they played, it compelled the characters to come to life and connect with the audience. The irony is these characters never existed in real life but people really connected to these roles. And I think as an actor when people connect with your roles it's your greatest reward. 

The content I make is based on three things observation, story, and acting. Anyone can create content but how you present it to your audience is on your shoulders. Even if you hire a scriptwriter and they give you a great script, but without presentation, even that story will have no impression on the viewers.


6. What does your typical day look like?

That is the hardest question of all. My typical day is waking up, hitting the gym, looking after business, shooting with a script, and then coming home. But this is just the chores of my day. 

I think my typical day is waking up to see my mom every day, having the inspiration to be healthy, meeting my friends for the shoot and having fun, and when I come home tired seeing my mom's face again to make me feel alive and filled with energy, sitting with her watching TV doing something or even using phone, talking to my friends about everything that happened. 

My typical day is made of the people and work I love to do.


7. What is your favourite book and why?

"The subtle art of not giving a fuck" by Mark Manson. We see in today's world everything has become a competition. Since we are kids and have to take admission in play way or kindergarten, that is the first interview we give, we prepare, study and a 3-4-year-old is pushed in a realm of competition. 

It's like a race and it's just not between your classmates, it's with your relative's kids, society and most importantly yourself, because we start to weigh our worth by the competition in our life. The book taught me the greatest lesson of my life that even if you do what you love you shouldn't have any expectations towards it. 

The expectations and results can never be the same. And when that happens we are left with sadness, disappointment, and most importantly calculating our own self worth again. I noticed whenever we start expecting something from life, from our work, it starts going away from us. Because expectations neither give you knowledge nor any experience. 

According to me, it restricts us from doing better. So, I think sometimes we should let it go and enjoy ourselves in what we do, because we don't know the consequences, the results or anything about the near future so stressing ourselves with it is idiotic. It doesn't mean we shouldn't have a goal. It just means we shouldn't stress ourself with the expectations and not give our 100% for it.


8. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring creators?

I know the journey to become a top creator is hard. When you start from scratch, it is hard and we start to question our content. That is when some creators start copying content to start making a video to just gain subscribers. But that is when you loose your own special something that makes you unique and maybe better than other creators. 

My only advice is 'do not copy others'. We should always remember there is only one Carry Minati, only one Ashish Chanchalani, only one Bhuvan Bam. It doesn't mean you cannot be on top. But when you reach the top it should be for what you have to offer to your audience. 

When you copy someone you don't offer anything new to the viewers. So the most important thing is working on your skills, perfecting it, is the only key. If you're a good comedian you should make comedy videos. So I think the most important thing is to find out what you have that makes you unique. 

When you are sure of what you want to create, and the skills you have, then make content with full confidence. Yes, people take time to recognise new talent but that is the beauty of it you can keep on doing better with every project you opt for. 

The top creators not just of India but other countries too, try to make something new every time which is seen in the increased duration between the video made. When you grow as a creator people start expecting more and more from you. 

And nowadays YouTube has become an open platform, and the number of increased creators has distributed the viewership, there are so many genres to pick from like comedy, short films, pranks, cooking, storytelling, life hack, art, sketching and the list continues. 

So according to me being what you are, when you present yourself to the world, people connect to you on a friend level and that is the kind of audience you want, who loves your work, who gives you some constructive criticism so you do better. And at last, I have to say is anyone can do it just show them what you got and believe in yourself.


- Arvind Sharma (Actor)

Arvind Sharma is an Indian actor, model & journalist. He mainly appears in Youtube shorts films, youtube ads, web series and is a creator of his own youtube channel called ARVIND SHARMA with approximately 83.7k subscribers, a Facebook page with 17k followers.

He has also worked with NDTV news channel as a reporter during MCD Election. He was also a former reporter and editor of The newsy (web news channel). He has done a number of Short films (as an Actor)such as Tribute to an Indian Army, Phobia, Awaaz Uthao(a short film on harassment), The Victim.

LinkedIn: Arvind Sharma 
Youtube: Arvind Sharma 


Interviewed By Pratibha Sahani