Meet the Man behind Ashish Chanchlani's ₹10+ Crore Comeback

Ashish Chanchlani and his 12-year partner Kunal Chhabhria bet ₹10+ crore on Ekaki, a YouTube series that matched Tumbbad's film budget. They rejected a ₹6 crore OTT deal, took a bank loan, and released it free on YouTube. In this episode, Kunal breaks down the ACV business model, the complete behind the scenes of Ekaki, the OTT vs YouTube logic, and the real economics of Ekaki. This conversation is a deep dive into the high-stakes world of premium YouTube content, covering the move from relatable sketches to aspirational sci-fi, the "no-ego" team dynamics that fuel their longevity, and the financial reality of investing crores into a project without a guaranteed U-turn. You’ll hear him reveal: -Why good content always beats money and ego. -How a 1.5 crore budget spiraled into a 10-11 crore masterpiece and why they chose YouTube over OTT. -The logic behind rewriting scripts three times until the jokes are no longer "funny" to the team. -The "Day for Night" lighting disaster and learning the technical side of filmmaking on the fly. -How the team splits revenue without formal contracts and why they prioritize long-term brand equity over quick reel deals. -Why today’s audience craves "raw" creators over polished images. If you are a creator looking to pivot your content, a filmmaker curious about large scale YouTube production, or a fan of the ACV journey, this episode offers an unfiltered look at the grit behind the laughs. Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 02:05 - Secrets Behind Kunal & Ashish Chanchlani's Bond 07:10 - How a Random Idea Became Ekaki? 11:59- Initial budget of Ekaki 13:19- The Crazy Production Story Behind Ekaki 24:09 - How Much Did Ekaki Earn? 32:10 - The Risk That Changed Everything for Ashish Chanchlani 34:54 - How Ashish Chanchlani's Team Gets Paid? 40:43 - Biggest Mistake in Ekaki 42:22 - Ekaki VFX Cost & Making Cost Breakdown 45:13 - The Comeback Strategy That Saved Ashish's Channel 48:05 -Why Ekaki on YouTube Instead of OTT? 50:54 - Did Ekaki Help or Hurt Ashish Chanchlani's Brand Value? 57:40 - Tips for Content Creators 03:59 - Kunal's Last Message About Kunal Chhabhria - Kunal Chhabhria is a seasoned creator, writer, and director who has been a pivotal part of Ashish Chanchlani's core team for over 12 years. A specialist in improvisational comedy and scriptwriting, Kunal has helped transition the ACV channel from viral comedy sketches like OTP The Lottery to cinematic long-form series ‘Ekaki’. Known for his "creative-first" mindset, he balances the business operations of the ACV universe with a relentless focus on high-quality storytelling. #AshishChanchlani #Ekaki #ACV #TheCreatorRoom #CreatorEconomy -------------------------------------------- About The Creator Room: The Creator Room is India's business-first creator show where we go deep with top creators on monetization, strategy, team building, and the real challenges behind their success. No fluff, no gossip but just honest conversations about revenue, growth, platforms, and what it takes to build a sustainable creator business. Subscribe for frameworks and insights you can actually use. #TheCreatorRoom ---------------------------------------- Social Media: Instagram:   / the_creator_room   X: https://x.com/thecreatorroom