‘Never made this much in my career’: Farah Khan on YouTube earnings, fame and unfiltered content 

Bollywood filmmaker, choreographer and now internet star Farah Khan says her unexpected second innings as a digital creator has not only reshaped her public image but also become one of her most rewarding ventures — creatively and financially.

In a new conversation with actor Soha Ali Khan on a podcast, Farah revealed that her YouTube channel, launched in April 2024 and anchored largely around humorous cooking sessions with her cook Dilip, has grown into one of her biggest income sources.

The channel’s massive following — nearly 3 million subscribers on YouTube and 4.5 million followers on Instagram — has turned her casual vlogs into a full-fledged phenomenon.

“I don’t know what to say… massive is relative,” she told Soha, admitting even she was stunned by the scale of earnings. Farah said she has made more in one year on YouTube than she did across several years of directing films. “Maybe in my entire career, I’ve not made so much money,” she said, calling the platform’s returns “surprising but welcome.”

For Farah, however, money isn’t the main takeaway. What truly matters is the liberty she has never experienced in film or television.

“There will be somebody who has the money who’s calling some shots,” she said, describing the traditional filmmaking ecosystem. YouTube, in contrast, feels like a space completely controlled by her: “This is yours and you get to call the shots… it’s 100% creative freedom.”

That spirit of independence defines her entire process. Farah said she shoots her videos without scripts, plans or retakes. “We literally don’t script,” she said. Whether she’s cooking, chatting with guests, or simply bantering, she insists the spontaneity is what audiences enjoy. Her humour, she added, works because it is “without malice.”

She also takes care to protect her guests on camera. If a moment seems likely to go viral in a way that may harm someone, she simply removes it. “Unlike other channels that will make that your headline,” she said.

Farah’s approach to collaborations is equally unfiltered. She does her videos without hair or makeup teams and buys most of her outfits online — often from small sellers who later discover her videos have boosted their business. “They’re using my full YouTube content as an advertisement,” she joked.

When it comes to sponsorships, she is selective. “I need to use that brand. I need to be okay with it,” she said, adding that there are categories she refuses altogether. “I don’t do medicines… if I’ve not used it, I will not do.” Her message to agencies is consistent: “This is my channel.”

Even brand integrations on her vlogs remain spontaneous. She recalled how a Cashify mention turned into an unscripted gag when her driver mistakenly called it “Spotify” — a moment brands later appreciated for its authenticity. Farah noted that videos underperform mostly when brands attempt to micromanage content, diluting the very personality that draws viewers in.

With her unfiltered humour, unscripted process and fiercely independent philosophy, Farah Khan has built one of Bollywood’s most unconventional — and successful — digital empires, proving that sometimes the most effortless content comes from simply being oneself.