Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Local 'TikToks' galore in India; influencers try new tricks

MORE than two months after TikTok was banned in India, homegrown apps are enjoying the spike in the number of users as former 'stars' try new tricks to rebuild their fan base.

On June 29, Indian government banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, leaving over 200 million users of the short video app feeling a little bereft and many lost their earnings.


In January, 24-year-old beatboxer Jesus Mehta joined TikTok to showcase his beatboxing talent. A year later, he had a following of over two million. His earnings also increased significantly.

But his earnings stopped after the government banned the Chinese app two months ago.

"The last two months haven't been smooth. TikTok was one of my sources of income. I also take online classes. TikTok alone earned me over Rs 60,000 (£ 631) monthly, and now it barely reaches Rs 20,000 (£210),”the Surat-based beatboxer said.

He is now trying to rebuild his fanbase on Instagram and has so far got a little over 17,000 followers.

There are also homegrown apps, including Chingari, Roposo, Rizzle and Instagram Reels, many TikTok creators are still looking for the right platform.

But they will have to start from scratch and wait for a long time before money starts coming in. Yamuna Nagar-based TikTok creator Abheshek Garg said there are plenty of options available to create content but nothing comes close to TikTok in terms of audience reach and monetary benefits.

“A lot of people were actually relying on TikTok for their bread and butter. So it has been a huge setback. The reach that platform had was immense. No application comes close to that,” Garg, a fashion and travel blogger who had over a million followers on TikTok, said.

Though several similar apps existed in India along with TikTok, it was only after the ban that they registered a sudden spike in new users. Roposo, a leading short-video platform in India, was launched in 2014.

While it already had over 50 million downloads on Google Play Store, another 40 million users downloaded the app in the next two months after the TikTok ban.

According to Bikash Chowdhury, chief marketing officer of Glance, the parent company of Roposo, the application was already at the number one spot on the Google Play Store in the social app category in mid-June.

“Additionally, a few weeks back we introduced the Pride of India programme, a collaboration with Indian achievers like Babita Phogat, Chandro Tomar, Neel Ghose and Sangram Singh. The programme provides a platform to them to mentor and inspire fellow Indians,” he said.

Vidya Narayanan, CEO and co-founder of Rizzle which was launched in June 2019, also believes it wasn't the TikTok ban that made the app popular but the content by its creators who continue to “set new records and inspire new creators to join the tribe”.

Since the ban on the popular app, some leading ‘TikTokers', including Khushi Punjaban, who had over 18 million followers for her comedy and dance videos on the banned app, model Neetu Bisht with nearly seven million followers, and chef Rashika Punjabi with 2.8 lakh followers, joined Roposo.

Masterchef India finalist Geetha Sridhar, who had over a million followers, and ‘This is Sumesh' (short comic videos) with one million followers on TikTok, joined the Rizzle app.

Sumit Ghosh, founder of Chingari, sees the scattered migration of top TikTok creators as an opportunity for short-video companies to coexist and even grow together.

Launched in November 2018, the Chingari app currently registers two-three million daily active users. Ghosh added that Chingari's focus is to build micro creators instead of going after influencers or TikTok stars.

More For You

uk weather

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England

iStock

England faces widespread heat alerts and hosepipe bans amid rising temperatures

Highlights:

  • Amber heat health alerts in place for large parts of England
  • Hosepipe bans announced in Yorkshire, Kent and Sussex
  • Temperatures could reach 33°C over the weekend
  • Health risks rise, especially for elderly and vulnerable groups

Heat warnings in effect as UK braces for another hot weekend

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England, with temperatures expected to climb to 33°C in some areas over the weekend. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) activated the warning at 12 pm on Friday, with it set to remain in place until 9 am on Monday.

The alerts cover the East Midlands, West Midlands, south-east, south-west, East of England, and London. Additional yellow alerts were issued for the north-east, north-west, and Yorkshire and the Humber, starting from midday Friday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Essex ladybird invasion

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear

Dee-anne Markiewicz / SWNS

Swarms of ladybirds invade Essex coastline amid soaring temperatures

Highlights:

  • Ladybird swarms reported across Essex and Suffolk coastal towns
  • Hot weather likely driving the sudden surge in population
  • Sightings include Point Clear, Shoebury, Clacton and Felixstowe
  • Similar outbreaks occurred in 1976 during another hot UK summer

Sudden surge in ladybird numbers across the southeast

Millions of ladybirds have been spotted swarming towns and villages along the Essex coast, with similar sightings stretching into Suffolk. Residents have reported unusually high numbers of the red and black-spotted insects, particularly near coastal areas, with the recent hot weather believed to be a major contributing factor.

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear, a village near St Osyth in Essex, where the insects could be seen piling on top of each other on driftwood and plants.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kapil Sharma

Kapil Sharma’s Canada cafe shot at days after opening

Instagram/ginnichatrath

Kapil Sharma’s Canadian café targeted in shooting, Khalistani terrorist cites mockery of Nihang Sikhs as motive

Highlights:

  • Shots were fired at Kap’s Café in Surrey, Canada, owned by comedian Kapil Sharma, just days after its opening.
  • Khalistani extremist Harjit Singh Laddi, linked to banned group BKI, claimed responsibility.
  • The motive cited was an old comedy segment from The Kapil Sharma Show that allegedly mocked Nihang Sikhs.
  • No injuries were reported; Canadian authorities are investigating the incident.

Comedian Kapil Sharma’s recently launched Kap’s Café in Surrey, British Columbia, was the target of a shooting in the early hours of 10 July. Though no one was harmed, the property sustained significant damage. A known Khalistani extremist, Harjit Singh Laddi, has claimed responsibility for the attack, citing perceived religious disrespect on The Kapil Sharma Show.

 Kap\u2019s Cafe in Surrey  Kap’s Cafe in Surrey was struck by gunfire late at night with staff still insideInstagram/thekapscafe_

Keep ReadingShow less
Police probe hate crime over migrant effigies bonfire in Northern Ireland

Models depicting migrants wearing life jackets in a small boat alongside two banners reading 'Stop the boats' and 'Veterans before refugees' are displayed on top a bonfire in Moygashel, Northern Ireland, on July 9, 2025. (Photo by PETER MURPHY/AFP via Getty Images)

Police probe hate crime over migrant effigies bonfire in Northern Ireland

POLICE in Northern Ireland have launched a hate crime investigation after a bonfire topped with effigies of migrants in a boat was set alight in the village of Moygashel, County Tyrone.

The incident, which took place on Thursday (10) night, has drawn widespread condemnation from political leaders, church officials, and human rights groups.

Keep ReadingShow less
Navratri festival in Wembley

A similar event held at the same site last year resulted in a planning enforcement notice being issued due to complaints of noise and disturbance.

Getty Images

Navratri festival in Wembley faces objections

A PROPOSED 10-day Hindu festival in Wembley, north London, has drawn objections over concerns about noise and disruption in the area.

Asian Events Media (AEM) has applied to Brent Council to host the Navratri celebration at Alperton Studios from September 22 to October 1, according to The London Standard.

Keep ReadingShow less