Podcast with Utsav Aggarwal

Utsav Agarwal’s journey into the digital content space is a fascinating one. At just 25, he manages over 200 YouTube channels, with his team uploading more than 500 videos each month. His videos consistently trend, and many of his channels reach incredible milestones, such as gaining 100,000 subscribers in under six months. Utsav’s ability to tap into different content genres has helped him stand out, from devotional and mythological content to kids' animation and rhymes.

One of the standout examples is his work on lo-fi bhajans. The idea behind this channel was to merge the growing popularity of lo-fi music with traditional devotional songs, something Utsav found to be largely untouched. In December 2021, he launched the channel, recreating original IP from his collection into lo-fi versions. His goal was to cater to both older and younger generations by making bhajans more appealing to youth who were increasingly showing interest in spiritual content.

Today our conversation revolves around important parameters like RPM, MCN and Kids vs Horror stories, and how Utsav manages to keep his digital empire running smoothly.

Utsav describes how the idea evolved from noticing how lo-fi Bollywood and qawwali music were gaining traction, while devotional content hadn’t yet explored this avenue. He took the leap by introducing lo-fi bhajans, starting with some recordings of Bajrang Baan, Hanuman Chalisa, and other devotional songs. After experimenting with sound effects like reverb and adjusting the tempo to fit the lo-fi style, one particular track—Bajrang Baan—became a massive hit, garnering millions of views within just a year.

On turning his love for music to a successful business, and the importance of patience:

We were listening to the youth of today, whether in headphones or in cars, and we wanted beats because nowadays every car comes with really good speakers and sound systems. So, we needed a beat that gives an energetic feeling and is fun to listen to. First, we created a beat and tested the output in studio monitors, then listened to it on a Bluetooth speaker, on a phone, and finally in my car. After listening to it in the car, I felt that it was perfect, and we were ready to go live with it. So, we released it in December 2022.

My father always taught me that in this business, you have to be patient; it’s not like you will get views overnight. At first, it was hard because I had very little patience, but I learned. By 2022, things were going well, but it wasn’t until 2023 that the pace really picked up.

On going viral, to helping Ranveer Singh relax:

The lo-fi bhajans started going viral, especially on reels, and I began getting calls from people like Rasraj ji, who mentioned that Ranveer Singh had commented on how much he liked the lo-fi bhajans. He said it helped him relax, and I even saw reels where Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff had used the music in their promotions. People started commenting that the lo-fi bhajans were being played in the background, which was an incredible feeling.

Then, in early 2023, Ranveer Singh mentioned it again during a podcast, which gave the devotional lo-fi bhajans even more attention. I keep an eye on the real-time analytics of my channel, and I noticed that a lot of youth were listening to it on Spotify, whether while at the gym, before sleeping, or during their morning routines. It was a long journey—it started in December 2021, and by December 2023, it was fully established. It took two years, but patience paid off, and since it was an in-house production, the costs weren’t too high. I kept at it, and eventually, it all worked out.

On entering the niche of animation: A simple idea turned into the breakthrough Utsav needed!

My initial idea was simple: there’s a modern trend in music, and if I can combine that with spiritual and religious content, there’s a good chance it will resonate with people. Keeping that in mind was key, along with understanding what our generation finds interesting and blending it with traditional values.

Now, regarding my other two channels, Jai Jai TV and Mama Monkey, they’re a little different. While the content creation process is the same, the format is unique, especially with Jai Jai TV’s animated mythology and devotional content. I run over 200 channels, but some of the content is animated. The idea behind using animation came from realizing that we were already catering to the youth, the mature audience, and the older generation. So, I thought, why not target children as well? But to engage kids, we needed something interesting, and animation seemed like the best way to do that. Just like we grew up watching cartoons, I wanted to create something fun and educational for kids that also teaches them cultural and regional values. That’s when I decided to set up an animation team.

On setting up the animation team and establishing an SOP:

The animation team was set up. We have a character artist and an animator who handles the movements. Now, how did the name of the channel come about? Well, my nephew, who is 1.5 years old, would come home, and my parents would tell him to go to the temple and chant "Jai Jai." It became clear that "Jai Jai" was a very common phrase, something that’s popular and on everyone’s tongue. Even now, when you see parents taking their children somewhere, they say "Jai Jai" to them. So, I thought, why not name the channel "Jai Jai TV"? It just seemed to fit perfectly.

For the intro video, we created a music tune, like the kind you hear in Coco Melon that sticks in a child’s mind. From far away, you can tell that Coco Melon is playing just by hearing it. So, we created a 10-second intro with two kids saying "Jai Jai TV." Now, whenever children hear it, they recognize it immediately and come running to watch. We also designed the characters of Hanuman ji and Ram ji to be very cute, appealing to the kids. Through my research, I learned that a child's attention span lasts only about five seconds. If the scene doesn’t change within those five seconds, they lose interest. So, we made sure to keep changing the scene every five seconds.

Since it’s a children’s channel, the singing had to feel relatable to them. If adults sing too perfectly, kids might not connect to it. But if there’s a bit of stammering or small mistakes, children can sing along and feel like they can relate. So, I began looking for kids who could sing well. I reached out to schools and my old music teachers to see if they knew any students who could help. I even went to Mumbai and found kids who could sing well. Those kids are now the voices behind the songs on the channel.

On making devotional songs the ‘Next Big Thing’, and threading the needle between different channels

One of our biggest hits, "Ram Siya Ram," got over 9.5 million views in 10 months, and we even received an award for it. It's a nine-minute video that tries to tell the entire Ramayan in a way that kids can watch and understand. We also created a Hanuman Chalisa, and we made sure to include key moments, like the story of Hanuman ji eating the sun, so that kids can recognize and remember them.

Parents love that their kids are watching this kind of content. They send us videos of their children watching Jai Jai TV, and we share those on our social media. It feels great to know that kids are learning about regional and cultural values through our content.

Now, moving on to the difference between Jai Jai TV and Mama Monkey. Jai Jai TV isn’t just for kids; it’s also watched by their parents. It’s devotional animation, so it appeals to a broader audience. On the other hand, Mama Monkey is solely for kids. I had wanted to open a children’s channel for a while, and Mama Monkey is focused on traditional Hindi poems and rhymes, along with some of our own private compositions.

So, while Jai Jai TV is devotional and family-friendly, Mama Monkey is more about kids’ entertainment and learning. The production process for Jai Jai TV is not just centered around kids, but Mama Monkey is specifically designed for them, with content they can enjoy and learn from.

On the production pipeline, and managing everything on such a massive scale:

They run a channel, and in the process of uploading one video a week, they face a lot of challenges, right? So, let's first talk about the three channels, then we'll talk about the scale. If we look at the frequency of the low-profile bhajans, we upload one audio-video per week. From the beginning, our focus wasn't on producing too much, but on producing quality content. If you're working on quality, you realize it takes time to properly create one song, one video. Most of the videos are lyrical, and these are the type of bhajans that people often play in the background, with the lyrics scrolling on the screen and simple, pleasant visuals accompanying them.

The process of creating low-profile bhajans follows a rhythm: one video goes up each week. Rasraj ji, who's quite famous now, has a lot of shows, so he comes by to record when possible. We gradually map out which songs will be released and when. For instance, in October, we know we’ll need to release Mata's bhajans for Navratri, and then after that, it’s time for Diwali bhajans. We plan according to festivals, ensuring we have content to match the season.

Now, if you look at Jai Jai TV's animation content, it takes a lot of time to create animated videos. On average, we release about two videos per month. It also depends on the duration. If a video is 10-12 minutes long, it takes around 20-25 days to make a single video. For bhajans that are 5-7 minutes long, it typically takes one and a half to two weeks to complete, allowing us to release two videos per month.

Similarly, for Mama Monkey, the poems are usually 2-3 minutes long, and each one takes about one and a half to two weeks to make, including the recording, animation, and music, which is all done in-house.

On scaling upto 300+ channels in 15+ languages

Regarding the team, the majority of the people working on animation, voiceovers, and background music are in-house. Right now, the team size is about 100+ staff members, including animators, character artists, and production people. We also work with freelance and regional staff on a project basis. Each of my animation channels has two or three dedicated people, including a character artist and an animator. Overseeing them are heads who handle planning and quality control, ensuring everything is produced correctly.

We've grown from three channels to almost 300 channels now. The content production has scaled significantly. With channels in different languages catering to a wide range of audiences across India's diverse demography, managing all these channels has become a large operation.

We work in 10+ languages, possibly 15+. For regional channels, production typically happens locally. For example, if the channel is from Odisha, the production takes place in Odisha, and we handle the final deployment once we receive the finished product. Our catalogue size is around 80,000 tracks, and we’re producing around 300-400 songs each month in over 10 languages.

There are many artists involved—both in-house and new artists. We make it a point to give opportunities to new talent with good voices. If we find someone promising, we invest in them, confident that they can contribute to our productions.

On MCN and why YouTube creators should know about it:

As the number of channels increases from one to 200, multi-channel networks (MCNs) come into play, which are commonly known as MCNs. These networks are essential for channel management at scale. MCNs provide several benefits, and one of the main advantages is security. With the increasing number of channels being hacked, MCNs offer solid protection to ensure your content stays safe. This is not just a problem in India, but globally, and MCNs help mitigate this risk.

Another advantage is that you often get a better RPM (Revenue per Mille), which refers to the revenue you earn per thousand views. Typically, you may not get a high RPM directly through AdSense, but through MCNs, this rate can improve significantly. Different MCNs offer varying RPMs, so it's essential to compare and decide which one gives you better service and returns. Essentially, MCNs provide both protection and improved RPM.

On enrolling in an MCN:

To enroll in an MCN, you need to meet the normal monetization criteria for your channel. Once that's achieved, you can start reaching out to MCNs. There's a global directory of MCNs, which includes MCNs in India. This directory contains contact details and more, helping you identify and reach out to the right MCNs. There are also different types of MCNs, depending on the type of content you produce. For example, music CMS (Content Management Systems) fall under their own category, and there are other CMS categories for entertainment, gaming, and more.

MCNs typically come into existence when you have more than one CMS, allowing you to become a multi-channel network. In India, as well as globally, many such networks operate, and you'll find CMSs for entertainment, long-format videos, kids' content, and more. We will include the MCN directory in the description for viewers to check out.

On the scale of the business and its growth - and generating a mind-boggling revenue:

Going back 30 years, my father started with toys in 1984, which was somewhat related to the current work I am doing. He began with a toy camera that had a reel inside, and when you scrolled it, the images changed. These reels often showcased devotional or historical places. The content idea started there, with photography that eventually shifted to videos and music.

In 2002, my father realized that the format needed to change, and that's when the Ambe label was formed, transitioning from toys and photography to producing bhajans on CDs and cassettes. Until 2012, he built a large catalogue under the Ambe Bhajan Yatra, featuring Aartis, Chalisas, and more. It was a significant shift from toys to devotional content, which helped scale the business over time.

When we shifted from selling toys to producing CDs and cassettes, it was a big moment for our family business. We leveraged our existing distribution network, which was already set up through our toy dealers across the country. Since most of these dealers were located near religious sites, it made perfect sense for us to start selling devotional CDs and cassettes alongside the toys. This transition took place between 2002 and 2012, and during that time, we produced an incredible volume of CDs and cassettes—enough to reach millions.

On moving to digital platforms - how changing the medium was a key moment

By 2012, we realized it was time to make another shift, this time moving from physical products to digital platforms. The content stayed the same, but the medium changed. That’s when we formed Net Media and fully embraced digital content distribution. Many other labels at the time were hesitant about going digital, but we saw the potential and decided to act quickly. From 2012 to 2020, we acquired over 20 recording labels, expanding beyond devotional music into regional and folk music. We bought Bhojpuri, Kashmiri, and other regional labels, and today we’ve grown to owning over 30 labels across more than 10 Indian languages.

After we acquired these labels, all production became our responsibility. However, we made sure to retain the original names and logos because people still associated them with the CDs and cassettes they grew up buying. It worked in our favor—people would leave comments on our digital platforms reminiscing about songs they remembered from 20 years ago, thanks to those familiar labels and logos.

On remembering his father’s words:

Now that I’m leading the company, I often think about my father’s journey and how he laid the foundation for everything we’ve built. He always told me, "You have to move with the times, or you’ll be left behind." And that’s the truth in this industry. You have to be willing to experiment, create something new, and adapt quickly. Festivals, for instance, are a crucial part of our content strategy. If you don’t release the content on the exact day of a festival, it loses its value. Timing is everything.

I entered the business about four years ago after working in filmmaking, and I had to quickly immerse myself in managing both production and distribution. It’s been an exciting journey, continuing the legacy my father started while pushing the company forward in this digital age.

On the joy of experimenting with different content, languages and mediums:

When I got involved in the business, it was important for me to learn filmmaking because it gave me a deeper understanding of various aspects—video editing, shooting, and music production. With this knowledge, I can guide my team effectively and explain how things should be done. When the staff realizes that I have hands-on experience with these skills, they respect the process even more.

When I entered the company, I examined the catalogue and explored what new initiatives we could take. The traditional methods were working well, and the team was skilled at handling them, but my father always encouraged me to experiment. One of my first initiatives was to expand the language offerings. I added four new languages—Odia, Chhattisgarhi, Haryanvi, and Uttarakhandi. I'm planning to add two or three more this year.

I also wanted to delve into animation, so I started an animation segment, which turned out to be a lot of fun. Another trend I noticed was the rise of personal systems (PS) and the growing need for specific solutions. We built three or four apps with our in-house team, keeping the content largely the same but presenting it in different forms. We added features like status updates, wallpapers, ringtones, and, most importantly, short-form videos, which are trending now. Everyone likes to update their status with these short videos, and we’ve been able to repurpose our existing content for this.

On the pitfalls of aggressive advertising:

We didn’t spend much on advertisements, but our apps naturally gained traction. Right now, they have ratings of 4.8 and 4.9, with positive comments. We’ve kept them ad-free, which people appreciate, especially because they are devotional apps. It feels more respectful to the user base. We also have a few devotional websites with good traffic. Currently, I’m thinking about expanding into new languages and creating more content. We are always planning to stay ahead of the trends and brainstorming new ideas.

When it comes to content, the core remains the same, but we adapt how we present it. For example, with channels like Jai Jai TV and Mama Monkey, there are specific guidelines we follow. Since Mama Monkey is kids' content, we ensure visuals change frequently to keep children engaged, and the music is upbeat so it captures their attention. If it's too slow, the kids lose interest. For Jai Jai TV, which focuses on religious content, we’re very careful about visuals and messaging. We don’t want to offend anyone, so we take feedback from the audience seriously. We read the comments, address requests for specific bhajans, and make changes if something isn’t sitting right with viewers.

Our audience often guides us on what content to produce next. If we cater to their preferences, they stay engaged, so we always listen to what they want. Producing religious content is sensitive because we have to ensure we don’t hurt anyone’s sentiments, but from a business perspective, we also have to consider monetization.

We have over 200 devotional content channels and several related to kids' content and animation. While we do monetize through ads, we haven’t pursued brand collaborations or sponsorships much. People have approached us, but we avoid adding too many ads because it disrupts the viewer experience. Too many ads—especially with both non-skippable and skippable ones—irritate the audience, so we try to maintain a balance.

We also engage in collaborations and brand deals, but we’re very careful with how we integrate them. Sometimes we do placements for regional songs, and we ensure they’re subtle and don’t distract the audience. We want to present them in a way that feels natural and not too intrusive.

On the monetization of his channels, understanding RPM and how it impacts business:

As for monetization, I won’t dive into specifics, but it's working well for us. The dashboard features for tracking this are quite insightful; if you study them, you can understand a lot about what's working and what's not. Generally, the RPM (Revenue Per Mille) is higher for songs with a good retention rate. Devotional content, in particular, tends to have strong retention because once people start listening to a bhajan, they often stick with it until the end. In contrast, some other genres have lower retention, and as a result, their RPM tends to be lower.

There are also fluctuations throughout the year. For instance, during festival seasons, the RPM can be significantly higher. But in slower months, you might see a 20-30% drop in revenue. This variation means you need to plan and have a backup strategy. You need to anticipate these drops and manage your operational costs accordingly.

For genres like kids' content, devotional, folk, and lo-fi music, the RPM varies. Lo-fi bhajans can range between 50 to 80 on a good day. Kids' content, while having a huge audience, has a much lower RPM—sometimes as low as 0.08 to 0.09. But the trade-off with kids' content is the volume. One of our kids' videos, for example, garnered 30 million views in just five months. The views and subscribers grow quickly, even if the RPM remains low.

On the other hand, animation content that's not targeted at kids sees an RPM ranging from 50 to 60 on good days. Overall, it’s a balancing act between the scale of views and monetization.

As for the fluctuations in RPM, I think it's tied to increased competition. There’s an explosion of content, especially in similar genres. YouTube only has so much ad space to allocate, and with so many creators producing daily, it’s harder to maintain consistent RPM across all videos. Some months, like December and January, tend to see drops, but overall, you can expect the revenue to balance out over the year.

On navigating legal and sensitive aspects:

Regarding the legal and sensitive aspects of the content we produce—whether it's devotional or kids-related—yes, we are cautious. With kids' content, we comply with COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act), and for devotional content, we ensure that it doesn’t offend any sentiments. We have a rigorous quality check process in place. The content goes through multiple rounds of review before it’s published. We’ve had a few minor misunderstandings in the comments on our devotional content, but nothing serious. We quickly addressed those concerns and resolved them.

So far, we've managed to avoid major issues by staying vigilant, but we always make sure to be proactive in handling both legal and sensitivity concerns.

On licensing and copying of content:

When it comes to licensing and copying, especially with a large production base like ours, these challenges are inevitable. Piracy and duplication have become rampant. We often see our content getting copied—whether it’s music or other assets. This happens frequently, especially in devotional content. To combat this, we make sure to get all our assets fingerprinted right from day one. Once fingerprinted, it becomes easier to track who’s copying the content, and we can take appropriate action.

Nowadays, platforms like YouTube and MCA (Music Copyright Association) are much more understanding about these issues. If we find someone copying our work, we reach out to the channels directly, inform them of the infringement, and most of the time, they resolve the issue themselves. And when it comes to copyright claims, we always ensure our NOCs (No Objection Certificates) and all legal documentation are ready. That way, if something escalates, we have everything we need to defend our content.

The key takeaway here is to be prepared. Ensure all your documentation and legal matters are in order so that if anything happens, you’re ready to deal with it.

On what the future holds:

Now, to the exciting part—future plans. We’re constantly looking to innovate, and one of the things I’m passionate about is expanding into more Indian languages. India is so diverse, with a new language or dialect every 100-200 kilometers. I want to cater to all of them, whether on a large or small scale. There’s also a lot of international language content gaining popularity in India, and we’re seeing people enjoy content beyond language barriers. For example, South Indian music is trending, even among those who don’t understand the language, simply because the beats and melodies resonate with people.

So, I’m looking to add more languages and keep evolving with the times. Whether it's about identifying trends or experimenting with new genres, staying aware and adaptable is key.

Advice for aspiring content creators:

For anyone aspiring to start their own multi-channel business, my advice would be this: patience is everything. Focus on quality content, and the results will come, even if it takes time. For example, my success with lo-fi bhajans didn’t happen overnight. It took two years, but when it hit, it hit big. Celebrities started using it, and it was rewarding to see the entire country engage with the content.

So, don’t give up too early. Keep pushing, even if you feel like it’s not working at first. Trends are unpredictable—you never know when something might take off, so you have to be ready.