2025 Creator Economy: From controversy to collaboration – how influencers capitalised

For a year marked by FIRs, cyber-cell questioning, and relentless online backlash, 2025 did surprisingly little to slow some of India’s most visible influencers. For a moment, it appeared to be the year that might finally redraw the boundaries of influence, accountability, and commercial consequence in the creator economy.

Despite intense scrutiny, several high-profile influencers secured larger brand collaborations, mainstream OTT visibility, platform milestones, and even venture funding. Far from being derailed, many careers continued on an upward trajectory, suggesting that in today’s creator ecosystem, controversy may slow momentum – but rarely stop it.

Samay Raina

Samay Raina’s India’s Got Latent controversy was among the most widely discussed creator moments of the year, leading to FIRs, episode takedowns and cancelled live shows. Yet, once the immediate backlash settled, Raina returned with some of his most visible work to date.

He featured in a viral campaign for Air Learn, alongside Kunal Kamra, a collaboration that drew attention for pairing two high-profile figures who had both faced public scrutiny.

Raina also appeared in promotional content for The Family Man, signalling confidence from a mainstream OTT franchise. This was followed by campaigns with boAt, Bold Care and Deconstruct Skincare—underscoring that advertiser interest remained intact.

Ranveer Allahbadia

Ranveer Allahbadia faced widespread backlash and multiple FIRs following remarks made during India’s Got Latent, prompting brands to briefly reassess their associations with the creator.

However, the year also marked a significant professional milestone for Allahbadia. In 2025, his flagship YouTube channel Beer Biceps, crossed 10 million subscribers, earning him the YouTube Diamond Play Button, a rare achievement that placed him among a small group of Indian creators at that scale.

The milestone underscored that audience growth remained steady despite the controversy. Months later, Allahbadia returned to the brand circuit with a high-visibility campaign for boat.

Apoorva Mukhija

Apoorva Mukhija was also drawn into the India’s Got Latent fallout and faced sustained online harassment, leading to a temporary pause in activity.

Her comeback was measured but notable. She returned through a Deconstruct Skincare campaign, and also featured in promotional content for The Family Man both alongside Samay Raina.

Ashish Chanchlani

Ashish Chanchlani was questioned as part of the broader investigation in regards to the show India’s Got Latent.

Under his banner ACV Studios, Chanchlani launched Ekaki, a multi-language horror-comedy project that he created, directed and starred in. The move marked a significant step, positioning him as a creator building long-form IP.

Nancy Tyagi

Nancy Tyagi faced online criticism over questions around originality and creative credit in her fashion work. However, the debate did little to slow her momentum.

Post-controversy, Tyagi went on to design for global pop star Tyla, a milestone moment that placed her on an international fashion stage. She also continued brand collaborations with names such as KitKat and Metaglasses, reinforcing her standing in the fashion and beauty ecosystem.

Kusha Kapila

Kusha Kapila’s Cannes-related controversy centred more on perception than misconduct, with online debate questioning influencer legitimacy in traditional cultural spaces.

What followed, however, shifted the focus entirely. Her D2C shapewear brand UnderNeat went on to raise $6 million in funding, emerging as one of the most talked-about creator-led business stories of the year—an outcome that placed long-term brand-building firmly ahead of momentary discourse.

A year where momentum outweighed the moment

Across categories- comedy, fashion, lifestyle and entrepreneurship, the pattern was consistent. While controversies dominated headlines temporarily, they did not define outcomes.

For many creators, 2025 ended not in reputational damage but in larger collaborations, greater mainstream visibility, and stronger business outcomes. The year underscored that in the creator economy, momentum is often harder to derail than expected.