United By Camera: An Interview With Varun Rana
One complaint that we’ve heard in interview after interview is that the Indian American community in Michigan lacks unity. Despite the fact that there are well over 100,000 Indian Americans in Michigan (which, as it happens, makes us the largest Asian American group in the state), there is no single center, gathering space, or hub for this community. However, we’ve learned time and time again that social media can be a powerful tool for forming connections and bridging gaps. Whether through heartwarming content, comedic skits, or shedding light on relatable experiences, it has the power to bring people together. No one proves this better than content creator Varun Rana.
Varun is an influencer who has garnered over four million likes and eighty thousand followers on TikTok, with an additional forty-four thousand followers on Instagram. While his content is not inherently Indian, subtle hints of the culture are peppered throughout his work.
Rana initially appeared on Little India’s For You Page on Instagram. The video that popped up was an “outfit check” that featured both Varun and his parents before dinner in Detroit. “I always joke [that] anytime I feature my parents, the video gets way more views.”
Varun, a now-proud New Yorker, is originally from Michigan. “I am Troy born and bred,” he attested. His parents are both Indian immigrants who first came to the United States after medical school. In December 1995, Varun’s father was offered a fellowship at Providence Hospital. Varun was born in Michigan about one month later.
“I was a very creative kid,” Varun expressed. “I loved everything from making music to making videos, making memes to photos and Photoshop. I was a big band kid, too.” Rana also cited Troy High School’s environment as a driving force behind his artistic interests. “My parents were always supportive of the arts. They’re doctors, but they’re art-driven people. My mom and dad love singing, and host tons of karaoke nights.”
After graduating from Troy High School, Varun attended the University of Michigan. He is the first to admit that the reasons he chose computer science as his major were not ideal (a seeming lack of other options among other things), but he concedes it “served him well.” His career afterward was multifaceted—including a move to Seattle, work for Amazon, and more.
It was the pandemic that reawakened Varun’s childhood passion for everything creative. “I took a break and began exploring my old interests again. Then, I started posting on TikTok. I realized that I had memories that I wanted to share with the world from my college days. [I wanted to] make light of them and be able to laugh at them. I realized there was a lot of humor there.” Although he was initially afraid to reveal his growing social media presence to his parents, they were immediately supportive.
“It was fun to create this new category of content,” Varun related. Varun has grown his platform and has significantly impacted the space known as ‘Brown TikTok.’ He refers to himself on his platform as a “burnt-out adult”—a nod to the challenge of balancing a career while also trying to maintain a social life.
Varun tactfully highlights the struggles of everyday life. Although masked under puns and humor, his content reminds us that the issues we collectively face are never as serious as we make them out to be. Varun shares his journey—the good and the bad—and uses it to emphasize a simple idea: “I want to empower people to walk away from things that are not serving them. I think a lot of people in our community struggle with that.” From his TikToks to his shorts, Varun has made an extensive impact on the South Asian community. “What’s great about social media as an Indian person is that you impact people just by showing up.”
Short videos are far from the only thing that Varun does. YouTube has served as a platform for videos best described as mini-documentaries—well-thought-out, longer videos in which Varun relates his own life to real topics. “As my Instagram and TikTok started to evolve, I started to see questions people DM’d me,” Rana explained. “I was like, ‘I really have a lot to say about this stuff.’ Maybe I have some unpopular opinions, but I have this need to speak the truth and say things people are afraid to say.”
“When you’re growing up Indian American, you have to unlearn a lot of things. You have two separate identities,” Varun shared. In a world where social media dominates youth culture, comedy is more than just entertainment—it’s a powerful tool to shape how we see others and, for those feeling disconnected from their heritage, how we see ourselves.
Varun’s journey—from working at Amazon to creating content on YouTube—has been anything but linear. The challenges he’s faced could have easily been discouraging, yet his unwavering positivity reminds us to keep moving forward. Seeing someone like Varun bring fresh perspectives and comedy to the screen is both heartwarming and inspiring. His story is proof that no matter what obstacles stand between you and your passions, laughter can always carry you through them.
