Cross-platform IPs are the future for creator economy: Rajiv Lakshman

New Delhi: India’s creator economy has emerged as a key engine of growth, underscored by hard data: a 322% surge has propelled the sector to support over 4 million creators in 2024. The numbers reflect its rising prominence, but the reality beneath reveals a stark divide. 

While top-tier creators carve out fresh revenue streams, many others grapple with instability, struggling to sustain their earnings in an increasingly crowded field.

Rajiv Lakshman, Group Head - IP at Hyderabad-based Infinitum Network, sees a solution in building a scalable, monetizable content ecosystem. 

A veteran with three decades in the industry—best known for co-creating Roadies—Lakshman argues the future lies in cross-platform intellectual properties (IPs). “At Infinitum, we’re prioritizing content that lives across multiple touchpoints,” he told BestMediaInfo.com. “Viewership trends show audiences don’t confine themselves to one platform. Labeling creators as ‘YouTube’ or ‘Instagram’ talents is outdated.”

Infinitum Network, he explained, is positioning itself to lead this shift, particularly for creators in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. “Digital viewership in India is 65% of the total pie. We’ve already produced over 300 branded pieces in more than 100 languages—opportunities for our creators are vast,” Lakshman said. The company operates as a structured pipeline, guiding creators through training, production, and multi-platform distribution.

Lakshman also critiqued the industry’s fixation on “mainstream” content, calling it a barrier. “We’re crafting platform-agnostic IPs that tap into India’s cultural roots. There’s a clear demand for stories grounded in local ethos—that’s where the focus should be,” he asserted.

He pointed to a novel concept brewing at Infinitum: a show streaming on an OTT platform where the protagonist—not the actor—maintains social media profiles to engage fans directly. “It’s the character breaking the fourth wall, not the performer,” he clarified. More such experiments, Lakshman hinted, are in the works.

Lakshman also mentioned that creators need a full funnel structure, rather than just content solutions. Infinitum ensures that it has the tools to shape each link in the creator’s journey, including brand deals.

Lakshman explained the multi-tier approach when the network deals with creators and brands. “If the brand needs the creators, then creators dictate the terms, but if the creators need the brands, then we ensure that the deal is done fairly all across.

If some creator is on retainer with us, we pay them a certain amount every month and we get brands to connect with them. In this case, all the revenues go to Infinitum. But if it is not the case and the brand needs the creator, then whatever the creator generates is divided in half between the creator and the network,” Rajiv explained.