I became a meme but I can run my whole household: Nasir Khan Jan on using trolls to his advantage

In a surprising turn of events, social media sensation Nasir Khan Jan appeared on Nida Yasir’s morning show and discussed his claim to fame – his viral videos. He revealed how making ‘viral’ content changed his life and became his sole source of earning. He also opened up about his education, what he actually wanted to be in life, and his family’s reaction to his virality, which also came in the way of his marriage.

The content creator, whose videos became all the rage when he first stepped into the social media realm, was only experimenting with online platforms with the intention of delivering a “positive” message. But his attempts to put himself on the virtual map were rebuked by many. Jan, however, did not let the negativity put him down and kept doing what he set out to do.

“I always wanted to be a flight attendant. But my father, who’s an allopathic doctor, was very adamant about getting me an education. I have many degrees and I’ve done my masters in English. But deep down I always wanted to be an instant success story. I wasn’t after fame, to be honest, but that was imminent,” Jan told Yasir. “I was done with everything when I first pulled out my phone to make a video. I started by offering health tips, how to keep oneself hydrated for glowing skin and all. But it became a hit…” Jan continued, shocked.

When asked about how technology became his best friend without him knowing much about it, Jan recalled being on his phone 24/7. “I’d send emails back and forth in an effort to move out of Pakistan. I started networking, made friends around the world. In the process, I tried my hand at content creation. So, after my first video went viral, I was scolded at home. My family wasn’t happy.”

Jan somehow made his parents understand that he was only delivering a positive message and there was nothing wrong in that. “But the online reaction was harsh too. Thankfully, most it was funny. It was the people who made my videos funny, they weren’t supposed to be funny. I became a meme and everyone laughed. I decided then that I’ll keep making serious content and let people find the joke. I also became stubborn about it. I said, ‘I’ll listen to everyone but I’ll do what my heart says.’”

One thing led to another and Jan started generating a revenue from online promotions and birthday greetings. “A girl from Sweden, Tina – she was also my fan – helped me understand how I can monetize my new-found fame. I decided to promote things, send birthday greeting and well… now I’m married and I have a kid and I can run my whole household just from just my phone.”

Lamenting the cons of making money online in a country like Pakistan, Jan shared, “Just recently, when social media sites were down, including YouTube, we had to suffer a lot of losses. It’s all very relative but I’m glad so far, it’s been good.”

As for getting married, Jan reminisced first seeing his now wife her at a family gathering. “I saw her and I thought to myself, she’s just like Katrina Kaif,” he chuckled. “It was love at first sight. And the kind of person I am, I instantly approached her and proposed her. Of course, she did not like me at first, given our online image. It became difficult. I decided I’ll try again. I tried three times and eventually, it worked. All matches are made in heaven.” Jan also recalled flattering his dream girl’s father to get his way. “My reputation really became a problem. But I flattered my father-in-law. I got him to like me and eventually, things fell into place.”

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