Anyone who uses YouTube is likely to know PewDiePie. Anyone who heard or watched any Indian music, will be aware of T-Series. PewDiePie is the most subscribed YouTuber as of today with over 70 million subscribers. He also held the title for being the most viewed YouTube Channel but was dethroned on February 2017. And that’s when the war began….

PewDiePie began his channel in 2010 and gained traction in 2012. Since, December 2013 up until now he has been the most subscribed YouTuber, despite being an individual and not a Company. He lost his title of being the most watched YouTube channel just last year around the same time Jio picked up. Thanks to our numbers and the popularity of Bollywood, T-Series is now holding the title of being the most-watched YouTube channel for over a year.

This set the stage for a lot of light-hearted drama from both sides. PewDiePie came up with a hilarious Diss Track, targeting T-Series for usurping him from his coveted position. He realized India was a good market filled with young English speakers, the exact demographic he appeals to and came up with a video calling out and mocking Indian online predators. Following this, he came up with a video titled “You India, You Lose” where he reviewed snippets from Indian Soaps.

PewDiePie V/S Ekta Kapoor

Ekta Kapoor wasn’t a sport about her serials being ridiculed on a Global platform by a “Firangi” and responded with angry tweets. Little does she know, her shows are like a laughing matter and the butt of many jokes within the country itself. Many people called her out for her mean tweets. Indian subscribers of PewDiePie even defended him and justified his blithe mockery. For the first time, rather than trolling and being touchy keyboard warriors, we Indians showed immense maturity on our part and laughed along the world.

Bhai tu kaun hai! Luks like d firang junior artists we hire from colaba when we Create Paris in arey:) he will find his dopplegangers in kasam se only;) https://t.co/miESFOiFrO — Ekta Kapoor (@ektaravikapoor) May 11, 2018

U seem obsessed bhaiiiii! https://t.co/tZBAtDh2V5 !!! I’ll send u some fresh videos — Ekta Kapoor (@ektaravikapoor) May 13, 2018

Just opened my Twitter n realised I finally arrived 🙂 this hate welcome has put me in August company :)/):)! Just one thing if anyone is waiting for me to apologise to peudy something it’s NOT happening 🙂 — Ekta Kapoor (@ektaravikapoor) May 14, 2018

Just opened my Twitter n realised I finally arrived 🙂 this hate welcome has put me in August company :)/):)! Just one thing if anyone is waiting for me to apologise to peudy something it’s NOT happening 🙂 — Ekta Kapoor (@ektaravikapoor) May 14, 2018

Just one thing anyone who suggests racial slur to my tweet( yes I read some tweets) shud open this youtubers( yes now I know who he is) video n see how he has trashed everything from Indian soaps to Indian superstars ( rajnikants robot) n jibbed back with d same ignorance n — Ekta Kapoor (@ektaravikapoor) May 14, 2018

And irreverence that he adopted to pan everything in India’s popular culture ! So all those getting highly protective about his power n millions ( some even claimed wat I was ‘ worth’) remember his video which we pass as sarcastic n ‘ humourous’ was titled ‘ india u lose’ — Ekta Kapoor (@ektaravikapoor) May 14, 2018

P.s I seriously dint know who he is ;):):) like he doesn’t know any tv personality or rajnikant! Heehaw !!!! Much love haters I’m back to making videos n fodder for this youtubers next feed — Ekta Kapoor (@ektaravikapoor) May 14, 2018

P.s I seriously dint know who he is ;):):) like he doesn’t know any tv personality or rajnikant! Heehaw !!!! Much love haters I’m back to making videos n fodder for this youtubers next feed — Ekta Kapoor (@ektaravikapoor) May 14, 2018

Ekta Kapoor after the new @pewdiepie video pic.twitter.com/qeHeVPVJRm — Venu Gopal Joshi (@ciphonn) June 4, 2018

In a matter of a few days, PewDiePie came up with a video responding to Ekta Kapoor’s mean tweets. He wasn’t the slightest bit apologetic and ridiculed even more clips from Miss Kapoor’s melodramatic soaps. It was clear who’s the boss. PewDiePie was not backing down. In this video, he even thanked his “army of 9 year olds” for defending him and understanding the frivolous nature of his videos.

All this publicity just made PewDiePie even more popular in the 2nd most populous country in the world. His videos struck a cord with the Indian audience, his comedy was to their taste, and his content was simple and funny.

Neck to neck

It was predicted around October end that T-Series would surpass PewDiePie in terms of subscribers and be the first channel to reach the 69 million subscriber count. But around this time, certain countries (read Bangladesh) and YouTube channels showed their support and ensured PewDiePie holds his spot firmly. Around 5 days ago, PewDiePie became the first channel to reach the 69 million subs mark beating T-Series by a whisker. He even put up a video celebrating the same.

Since this is a matter concerning two YouTube giants, analysts got in on it and made graphs and models predicting their growth. While T-Series is behind, it has a growth-rate nearly double that of Pewdiepie’s. Even though Pewdiepie is first to cross the 70 million subs mark, he will soon succumb to his defeat thanks to India’s sheer numbers.

In Conclusion

For now, watching the live subscriber count of both the channels is a fun way to kill time. PewDiePie’s story as an individual YouTuber is that of an underdog that each one of us can relate to. T-Series is the unassuming goliath he is up against. This is the stuff most fiction is made of. It is a plot that tugs on our heartstrings. Even though I’m a huge fan of Bollywood music and a regular viewer of T-Series’ content, I find myself rooting for PewDiePie. May the best YouTube Channel win.