Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Content creator Apoorva, popularly known as The Rebel Kid, has opened up about her decision to move to New York, saying the constant pressure to remain relevant online and maintain a public persona made her realise she needed to step away. Apoorva, 25, has moved to the US to pursue an MBA at New York University’s Stern School of Business and plans to return to India eventually to build her own direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand.
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Apoorva spoke about her move, her plans for the future and the challenges of navigating life in the public eye. She said moving away is partly about figuring out who she is beyond the identity she has built online as The Rebel Kid.
“I think somewhere along the way, I’ve genuinely forgotten who I am when I’m not being The Rebel Kid,” she said.
The Rebel Kid on leaving India
Apoorva said the demands of being a content creator go beyond simply producing content. The expectation to constantly reinvent herself, remain relevant and have something new to say has, at times, become overwhelming.
She described her move to the US as an opportunity to take a step back from that cycle and reassess what she wants from her life.
The influencer said, “I’m moving to the US partly to get away from this constant pressure to stay relevant, reinvent yourself, figure out what you have to say next, and keep maintaining an online persona all the time.”
For Apoorva, being constantly visible also comes with the knowledge that almost every decision can invite criticism. “It feels like a lot of responsibility, and sometimes it feels like no matter what I do, somebody is going to criticise it. But at the same time, that is also the beauty of my life,” she said.
Apoorva on criticism and India’s Got Latent controversy
Apoorva’s public journey has also included periods of intense scrutiny. More than a year ago, she faced backlash following her appearance on comedian Samay Raina’s show India’s Got Latent, where she made a vulgar joke involving a contestant’s mother. The controversy resulted in multiple FIRs being filed under the Information Technology Act.
Looking back at the period, Apoorva said she does not regret the decisions she has made. She maintained that she has apologised and accepted responsibility whenever she believed she was in the wrong.
“My impulsiveness has definitely come at a cost sometimes. But I don’t think I would go back and erase any of it, because without those mistakes, I wouldn’t be the person I am right now or be standing at this point in my life,” Makhija said.
Why Apoorva chose an MBA over Bollywood
Apoorva’s plans after her MBA are centred on entrepreneurship rather than acting. While she has made appearances in films and web shows, including her acting debut in Nadaaniyan (2025), she does not see herself building a long-term career in Bollywood.
She plans to return to India and eventually launch a D2C business.
“Over the last few years, I’ve sold products for different businesses through my content. But there was a huge part of building a business that I didn’t understand well, like operations and supply chain, which determine whether a company survives,” she explained.
She specifically wants to learn about areas such as operations, supply chain, unit economics and margins – the less visible aspects of building a sustainable business.
“I want to understand every aspect of running a business, rather than just being the face of it,” she said.
Apoorva was last seen on Lock Upp Season 2.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
