Early Beginnings: A Gamer’s Humble Start
Ajey Nagar was born on June 12, 1999, in Faridabad, Haryana, into a typical middle-class family. His father’s name is Vivek Nagar, while his mother’s identity remains private. Growing up with his elder brother, Yash Nagar (who would later become music producer Wily Frenzy), Ajey attended Delhi Public School in Faridabad. From a young age, he was captivated by video games and football, spending countless hours watching tutorial videos on YouTube.
In 2010, at just 10 years old, Ajey took his first steps into content creation by launching his debut YouTube channel called “Stealth Fearzz” (also spelt STeaLThFeArzZ), where he posted football tricks and tutorials. This marked the beginning of a journey that would transform him into one of Asia’s most influential digital creators.
The Transformation Journey of CarryMinati: Finding His Voice
By 2014, the young teenager had evolved beyond football tutorials and started a new channel called “AddictedA1,” where he uploaded recorded video game footage with his reactions. His content focused on gaming commentary, particularly Counter-Strike: Global Offensive gameplay. In 2015, he rebranded his channel to “CarryDeol,” uploading gameplay videos while mimicking the iconic Bollywood actor Sunny Deol. This unique combination of gaming and celebrity impersonation began attracting attention.
The channel was eventually renamed “CarryMinati” – the name that would become synonymous with roasting culture in India. His signature opening line, “Toh Kaise Hain Aap Log?” (So how are you guys?) became instantly recognisable across the country.
The Dropout Decision: Choosing Passion Over Convention
In a bold move that would define his unconventional path, Ajey made the life-changing decision to drop out of school during his Class XII board examinations. He had become extremely nervous about his economics exam and, with his parents’ permission, chose to skip it entirely. Rather than following the traditional educational path, he completed his schooling through distance learning, dedicating himself fully to building his YouTube career. This decision, though risky, allowed him to focus entirely on content creation from his Faridabad home.
Breakthrough: The Rise of Roasting Culture
CarryMinati’s rise to prominence came through his fearless roasting videos and comedic skits. He took on Bollywood award shows, satirised popular TV reality programs like Bigg Boss, and delivered humorous takedowns of celebrities with razor-sharp wit in Hindi. His unfiltered commentary and bold style resonated with millions of young Indians who found his content both entertaining and refreshingly honest.
In January 2019, he released the diss track “Bye PewDiePie,” criticising the Swedish YouTuber while supporting T-Series in their subscriber battle, which garnered 22 million views within five months. He reached the 1 million subscriber milestone in May 2017, and his growth accelerated exponentially from there.
The YouTube vs TikTok Controversy: A Defining Moment
May 2020 became a watershed moment in CarryMinati’s career. He uploaded a roast video titled “YouTube vs TikTok: The End,” targeting TikToker Amir Siddiqui in response to Siddiqui’s criticisms of YouTubers. The video went explosively viral, breaking numerous records, including becoming the fastest Indian video to reach 1 million likes within hours and the most-liked video in India within the first 24 hours.
The video earned a staggering 78 million views and gained him 6 million subscribers before YouTube removed it for violating terms of service, citing cyberbullying and harassment. The removal sparked massive outrage, with the hashtag #JusticeForCarry trending nationwide and celebrities like Ashish Chanchlani showing their support. Despite – or perhaps because of – the controversy, CarryMinati’s subscriber count soared from 11 million before the video to over 20 million shortly after.
Musical Response: Yalgaar and Beyond
In response to the controversy, CarryMinati released “Yalgaar,” a powerful rap track on June 4, 2020, in collaboration with his brother Wily Frenzy. The song addressed the video takedown, his haters, and the entire controversy with lyrics like “I have a story to tell, I will burn the hater’s soul.” The music video became a massive hit, garnering 344 million views and becoming the theme track for Abhishek Bachchan’s film “The Big Bull”.
His musical journey expanded with other successful tracks, including “Trigger,” “Zindagi,” “Vardaan,” and “Warrior,” all produced in collaboration with his brother.
Expanding the Empire: CarryisLive and Beyond
In early 2017, Ajey created his secondary channel “CarryisLive,” dedicated to gaming livestreams. He livestreamed himself playing popular games like PUBG, GTA V, Counter-Strike, Minecraft, and various horror games. Beyond entertainment, he used this platform for charitable causes, hosting fundraising livestreams for the Kerala floods in 2018, Cyclone Fani in Odisha, Assam and Bihar floods, Pulwama attack victims in 2019, Australian bushfires, COVID-19 relief, and the 2023 Odisha train collision. His four-hour charity livestream for the Odisha train victims alone raised nearly ₹12 lakhs, including his personal contribution of ₹1.5 lakh.
Record-Breaking Achievements and Milestones
CarryMinati became the first Indian YouTuber ever to surpass 30 million subscribers in May 2021 and crossed 40 million in August 2023. As of November 2024, his main channel boasts over 45 million subscribers, making him the most-subscribed individual YouTuber not just in India but across all of Asia. His gaming channel CarryisLive has over 12 million subscribers.
His achievements include:
- YouTube Creator Awards: Two Silver Play Buttons, two Gold Play Buttons, and two Diamond Play Buttons (for both channels)
- Time Magazine’s Next Generation Leaders (2019) – becoming the first Indian YouTuber on this list
- Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia (2020)
- Lokmat Most Stylish Youth Icon (Male) (2022)
- Bollywood Hungama Style Icons Awards for Most Stylish Digital Entertainer (2023 and 2024)
Brand Partnerships and Business Ventures
CarryMinati’s influence extends well beyond YouTube. He has partnered with major brands, including WinZO (gaming platform), Arctic Fox (custom gaming backpack), HP OMEN gaming series, Lenskart, and Game.Tv, KFC, and Samsung Galaxy. As WinZO’s Digital Brand Ambassador for over three years, he has been instrumental in their growth to 200 million users.
In February 2023, he acquired a 10% stake in Big Bang Esports, demonstrating his commitment to India’s gaming ecosystem. His brand collaborations also include Paramount Pictures, PUBG, OnePlus, and the NBA.
In October 2024, he orchestrated one of Indian YouTube’s most ambitious collaborations, bringing together 14 top creators, including Bhuvan Bam, Ashish Chanchlani, and Technical Guruji for his “Mr Beast Parody,” which garnered over 54 million views.
Financial Success and Lifestyle
As of 2025, CarryMinati’s net worth is estimated between ₹50-60 crore ($7 million USD). His monthly income is estimated at ₹25 lakh, with annual earnings around ₹4 crore from various sources, including YouTube AdSense (estimated $20,000-$30,000 monthly), brand endorsements (₹240,000 annually), merchandise sales (approximately ₹500,000 annually), and other ventures.
His success has afforded him a luxury lifestyle, including ownership of two Toyota Fortuners, an Audi Q7, a luxury flat in Mumbai, and several premium properties across India. He is recognised as one of India’s five wealthiest YouTubers.
Family Support: The Power of Brotherhood
Behind CarryMinati’s success stands his elder brother, Yash Nagar, professionally known as Wily Frenzy. A talented music producer, DJ, and guitarist born on September 10, 1995, Yash has produced the majority of Carry’s music videos, including “Yalgaar,” “Zindagi,” “Warrior,” “Trigger,” and “Vardaan”. The brothers frequently appear together at events, and CarryMinati has called Yash his “backbone,” acknowledging that “you hurt one person, you hurt the whole family.”
Their parents, Vivek Nagar (father) and Annu Nagar (mother), have been supportive throughout Ajey’s unconventional career choice.
Cultural Impact and Legacy
At just 26 years old, CarryMinati has fundamentally shaped India’s digital entertainment landscape. He helped legitimise gaming and content creation as viable career paths for Indian youth, inspiring millions to pursue their creative passions. His fearless commentary style established roasting as a mainstream content genre in India, while his Hindi-language content made YouTube entertainment accessible to millions beyond English-speaking audiences.
As ORMAX’s Most Popular Social Media Influencer in India (January 2024), he stands alongside global influencers like PewDiePie and MrBeast as one of the Top 50 most-followed personalities on YouTube.
Challenges and Resilience
CarryMinati’s journey has not been without controversies. Beyond the YouTube vs TikTok incident, his roasting content has faced criticism for occasionally crossing lines into offensive territory. However, he has consistently defended his work as satire and humour meant for entertainment. His ability to bounce back from setbacks – most notably transforming the controversial video removal into the triumph of “Yalgaar” – demonstrates his resilience and understanding of his audience.
The Road Ahead
From a 10-year-old boy uploading football tutorials to Asia’s most-subscribed individual YouTuber, Ajey Nagar’s transformation into CarryMinati represents a remarkable success story of passion, persistence, and innovation. He has proven that with dedication and authenticity, unconventional career paths can lead to extraordinary success.
As he continues creating content from his Faridabad home, exploring new collaborations, and expanding his business ventures, CarryMinati remains a defining voice for India’s digital generation – a generation that dares to dream differently, challenge conventions, and create their own paths to success.
His story reminds aspiring creators that success doesn’t always follow traditional routes. Sometimes, the boldest decision is to drop conventional expectations and pursue your passion wholeheartedly – exactly as Ajey Nagar did when he chose YouTube over economics exams, transforming himself from a nervous student into CarryMinati, India’s undisputed king of digital content.
Must Read: From IIT Graduate to YouTube Icon: The Inspiring Journey of Nischay Malhan (Triggered Insaan)
Reference Links:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CarryMinati
- https://www.indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/youtube-vs-tiktok-carry-minati-everything-you-should-know-6413568/
- https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/365406
- https://thereelstars.com/becoming-carryminati-the-most-subscribed-individual-youtuber-in-asia/
- https://www.indiannetworth.in/carryminati-net-worth/