Son of paan shop owner to celebrated YouTuber: Danny Pandit’s inspiring journey, which he never wants to monetise

For Danny Pandit, success was never a fixed destination. As a child, it kept changing shape — sometimes a businessman, sometimes a sportsperson. “I never had one definition of success,” he says. “I worked towards smaller moments — a sports competition, an exam, anything. That consistency itself became a success for me.”

That mindset would later sustain him through the most uncertain years of his life.

Coming from a modest background as the son of a paan shop owner, Danny grew up with no financial cushion, no industry connections, and often, not even basic tools. His father ran a small paan shop and had taken a loan to buy a modest house. Danny vividly remembers asking for firecrackers during Diwali, unaware of the financial strain behind every small expense. “I didn’t understand the situation then,” he says. “But today, those memories keep me rooted.”

These realities made creative risks feel almost impossible. In his early days of content creation, access to even a decent mobile phone was a constant struggle. Recording meant making do with whatever device was available, learning to work around poor lighting, bad audio, and low storage rather than waiting for ideal conditions. “You don’t start when everything is perfect,” reflects the 32-year-old. “You start with what you have.”

He did follow a conventional path academically, though, completing BCom, then LLB, and even clearing the first group of the company secretary (CS) course. But he eventually walked away. “If I had continued, I might have passed. But there was no interest, and the pressure was too much,” he says.

During this period, financial strain, repeated failed attempts at content, and the feeling of being left behind took a heavy toll. “Everyone around me seemed to be moving ahead, while I felt stuck. I remember crying alone.” He speaks of those dark days without bitterness, only quiet acceptance. “I don’t resent myself for what I went through. It was part of the process. If you don’t grind through rough times, the taste of success later doesn’t feel complete.”

Long before content creation became viable, Danny was already performing. Growing up in a traditional Wada, he and other children would recreate film scenes, assigning roles and staging small skits. The Kothrud boy acted in school theatre, played sports, and turned to academics only when deadlines forced him. “Even if I had become a lawyer, I wouldn’t have been myself,” he says. “As a creator, I’m in a fluid state — always observing, writing, releasing.”

As his audience slowly grew, so did his responsibility toward his craft. He focused on steady refinement — discipline, writing, performance — rather than chasing overnight virality. “You learn in public,” he says.

Today, his work spans short-form videos, rap music, and live theatre, flowing freely across Marathi, Hindi, and English. “I don’t want language barriers around myself,” he explains. His viral song Zatpat Patapat was in Marathi, yet it resonated with non-Marathi speakers too. “Content has only one language — quality.”

Despite the spotlight virality brought, Danny guards his privacy carefully. “I don’t like being too personal in my content. I don’t want sympathy. I want people to feel better, not sorry for me.” He refuses to monetise his struggles, instead transforming them quietly into humour and performance.

His family remains his anchor. He shares a deep bond with his parents and often speaks fondly of his mother. “Everything I do is also for her.” His biggest dream is to buy her a new house. Recently, he fulfilled a long-cherished wish by taking his parents on their first plane journey — a moment of profound joy. An international trip is next.

Publicly seen as loud and playful, Danny, with a following of 1.9 million on Instagram and over 1 million on YouTube, is actually an introvert off-screen. “People think I’m rude or distant. I don’t open up easily — going blank is my defence.” Yet he is fiercely loyal to his inner circle and his fans, who stand by him in tough times.

His belief in manifestation is almost ritualistic. Every year, he writes resolutions and sticks them on his cupboard. Last year’s list — film projects, growing followers, new work — all came true. This year’s goals are bolder: more films, taking his theatre show abroad, and scaling live performances.

On January 17, he stages his biggest show yet, in Pune. “It’s a risk,” he admits. Pune audiences are tough, but once they embrace you, there’s no looking back. He’s expanding from two or three characters to seven, each layered to keep viewers hooked.

For Danny, success has arrived not as a sudden explosion but as a series of hard-earned, patient wins — woven together by resilience, family love, and the courage to keep creating.

Advaya Apte is an intern with The Indian Express.