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Gazi Abbas Shahid
Starting as a ground reporter back in his home UT of Jammu and Kashmir, Gazi has been a part of the news industry for well over a decade. While he finds every type of news engrossing, politics, partic ... Read More
The Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant wedding was one of most talk about events of last year, and getting an invite to attend this lavish affair would have been a dream come true for most people. However, a young influencer not only turned down an invitation to the opulent wedding, but also purportedly rejected a Rs 3.6 lakh deal from Mukesh Ambani and family to cover the event.
According to reports at the time, Kavya Karnatac, a YouTuber and popular social media influencer, reportedly turned an offer from Mukesh Ambani, Nita Ambani, and family to cover the wedding of his younger son, Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, sparking curiosity among netizens.
Later, in a LinkedIn post, Kavya Karnatac revealed why she rejected the offer from the Ambanis. Kavya revealed that she “was offered 3.6 lakhs for Ambani’s PR activation”, and her task, as she puts it, was “to discuss how Ambani’s wedding would boost the Indian economy”
The Instagrammer said the offer “far exceeded my usual rate of around 3 lakhs, and my parents even urged me to accept it”, but she decided to decline the deal, citing four reasons.
Kavya said she did not want to be a part of an “overwhelming crowd promoting the same narrative. It’s easy to get lost in the noise. I believe in maintaining the distinctiveness and value of my content, which thrives on diversity and originality”. “Aligning with an overly promoted narrative like Ambani’s wedding would dilute my brand’s uniqueness,” she added.
Further, she said that her decision was driven by Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio, India’s largest telecom operator, increasing its tariffs by a significant margin, prior to the Anant-Radhika wedding. “With Jio increasing internet charges, endorsing a corporate giant like Ambani seems insincere. Trust is delicate and built over time with genuine honesty. My audience can discern between paid promotions and authentic content, and preserving their trust is paramount,” she said.
Her third reason, she revealed, was driven by “ethical concerns”. “In a country where marriages are often canceled due to caste, class, gender, and religion, promoting a high-profile wedding that conforms to these norms didn’t align with my values. As an educator and creator, promoting such an event could be misleading,” she said.
She said the event was was more suited for fashion or lifestyle influencers, and while she previously worked with the Ambanis, promoting Vantara, Kavya felt that the claims about a wedding having any positive impact the Indian economy “might not be factually accurate.”
Finally, Kavya Karnatac cited “personal integrity” as the ultimate reason behind her decision, stating that while the Rs 3.6 lakh deal was indeed tempting. “However, the long-term benefits of maintaining my integrity far outweigh the short-term financial gain. Integrity builds a loyal following, which is invaluable.”
Originally a native of Nainital, Kavya Karnatac embarked on her journey to become a social media influencer in January after quitting her job to become a full-time content creator.
Kavya has a strong academic background, with an English Honors degree from Delhi’s prestigious Lady Shri Ram College, in which she emerged as the topper, scoring 99% marks.
At present, Kavya Karnatac has over 20 lakh (2 million) followers on Instagram, and more than 26 lakh subscribers on her YouTube channel, making her one of the most famous influencers in the country.
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