From screen to stage: India's top creators claim their spotlight at YouTube Fanfest 2025

Epic collaborations between Lisa Mishra and Sarah Sarosh, Dance with Alisha and Sanju Rathod, Mayur Jumani and Aaditya Kulshreshth aka Kullu, left audiences amazed.

YouTube Fanfest 2025 transformed the NSCI Dome into a vibrant hub of entertainment, bringing together India's favourite creators and their fans for an unforgettable evening. The event, a testament to the power of the creator economy, showcased the evolution of digital content and the profound connection between creators and their audiences. YouTube Fanfest has grown from a showcase for creators into a powerful cultural movement. The event celebrates how creators across India connect with fandoms and inspire millions of aspiring creators. More than just a live event, YouTube Fanfest has evolved into a cultural movement that celebrates the creators who have built their world one video at a time, a testament to the fact that with passion and creativity, the ‘Stage is Yours.”  

The evening kicked off with a high-energy pre-show featuring Desiree Saldanha aka DJ Sugahunny, who set the tone with a 20-minute set that had the crowd buzzing and set the stage for the event!

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Here's everything that happened:

From "Hi Guys" to the Main Stage

The show opened with a lighthearted segment hosted by Kusha Kapila, spotlighting the simple yet iconic ‘Hi Guys’ - the universal starting line for creators across every genre, from cooking to comedy, gaming, and glamour. In a clever "What's in My Bag" segment, Kusha revealed the essential tools for YouTube creators. She humorously showed how a simple bag holds a ring light, comments that build a community, a high-quality mic for late-night recording, and the most important tool of all: passion.

Favourite Formats Brought to Life

The event was packed with electrifying moments that saw popular YouTube formats come alive from the screen to the stage. Thugesh hosted his hilarious news-style segment, "Breaking Views," live alongside Nirmal Pillai and Abishek Kumar. The segment was elevated by a surprise appearance from the one and only Farah Khan. The choreographer and director brought the house down, hilariously schooling Thugesh on Gen Z slang and proudly declaring herself a "Zoomer." Her dynamic and witty exchange with Thugesh instantly became a highlight.

Raunaq Rajani brought his popular relationship show to the stage, featuring a panel of creators including Lisa Mishra, GamerFleet, Scout, and Gurleen Pannu. The segment engaged the audience directly, as they voted on relationship dynamics as either "red flags" or “green flags”.

Star Power: An evening of epic collaborations

YouTube Fanfest showcased the spirit of collaboration, bringing together creators from different genres for seamless, unexpected performances. The audience was treated to surprise collaborations, including a comical makeup tutorial by Sarah Sarosh and Gurleen Pannu, and a witty, satirical original song by Mayur Jumani and Aaditya Kulshreshth aka Kullu, celebrating the creators’ life.

In a blockbuster collaboration for the film Sunny Sanskari ki Tulsi Kumaari, Bollywood superstar Varun Dhawan surprised everyone by joining dance with Alisha on stage for a rendition of the hit song “Bijuria.” Varun riffed on the track and performed the viral hook-step, which has gained massive traction with fan recreations on YouTube in just a week following its release. The excitement hit a fever pitch as the legendary Sonu Nigam then made a grand entrance, sending the audience into a frenzy with a powerhouse performance.

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A showcase of creativity

Sharkshe S unveiled a new game she created exclusively on Gemini Canvas, "Sharkshe’s Slammarine," and challenged GamerFleet and Scout OP to a friendly competition. In a surprising twist, Payal Gaming joined as a wildcard, showcasing the dynamic and competitive world of gaming on YouTube.

RJ Karishma, in her beloved "Mummy Ji" persona, engaged with the audience from the VIP section, sharing hilarious, "motherly" observations about the creators and their careers. Her “son”, Vicky, also made a comical appearance, filming a vlog and encountering creators like Niswoman and Khooni Monday.

From Trendy Tunes to a ‘Divine’ Finale: Music and Dance Steal the Show

The stage came alive with a high-octane dance act from Himanshu Dulani. A collaborative music performance by Lisa Mishra and Sarah Sarosh added to the evening's energy. Alisha and Sanju Rathod performed a dance-music act titled "Trendy Tunes." Sanju delighted fans with an exclusive performance of his new track “Sundari,” following the music video release earlier in the day.

The evening culminated in a powerful finale with Gully Gang and a surprise performance by Divine, who took over the stage with a show-stopping musical act. Divine also teased fans about his new album, "Walking on Water."