In the latest Creator Economy Summit held on October 31 2023, some of India’s top digital content creators were asked to choose between fame and money.

This question was asked during the session on, ‘What do creators really want’, which was moderated by Virah Sheth, cofounder of the digital media organization Monk Entertainment, presumably in an attempt to understand the long-term goals of famous creators.

The answer to this debacle was striking: an increasing number of content creators chose popularity and fame as a priority over using digital platforms to earn money with a focus on leaving behind a commendable legacy for themselves. They cited their passion for their work, a fear of becoming irrelevant, and a desire for visibility and the validation that comes with it.

“For a lot of creators, the one thing that’s important is the legacy we leave behind…the other thing that I really want is to have a business of my own as I feel there is a need in this country for more women in business,” said Niyati Mavinkurve, a digital content creator for the channel Abhi&Niyu.

Madan Gowri, a popular YouTuber from Tamil Nau, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that every content creator comes to the platform to gain fame and popularity. “ I want to be known in Mumbai, Jammu and Kashmir, and in New York…Because every Youtuber who comes into this will look for gaining fame and not money…The biggest fear of a creator is not criticism or trolling but people forgetting you or becoming irrelevant,” Gowri said.

In addition to this, content creators also opened up about the increasing democratization of content through social media, and how a particularly exciting thing about content creation is how it is a platform for everyone whose reach goes far and wide.