YouTube has introduced a new system for viewers to express appreciation in India, called Gifts. Users can now send animated support tokens during creators' live streams, such as stylized Chai Toast or Pani Puri.
YouTube has introduced a new system for viewers to express appreciation in India, called Gifts. Users can now send animated support tokens during creators' live streams, such as stylized Chai Toast or Pani Puri.
This launch comes amid the growing maturity of the Indian creator economy. The number of YouTube channels earning seven-figure sums in Indian Rupees (INR) has increased by over 20% compared to last year. Furthermore, 92% of surveyed Indian creators noted that the platform helps them build an authentic community with their audience.
The shift from passive viewing to active participation has been happening for years thanks to features like Channel Memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks. The Gifts feature fully supports this trend, transforming gratitude into a visually displayed element on the screen.
Gifts should be viewed as a form of personalized reaction. These are animated overlays that viewers send during a stream to express admiration, react to a key moment, or simply add activity to the chat. Instead of a message just scrolling by, a Gift appears on the screen as a burst of color and movement overlaid on what is happening.
The mechanism is simple: viewers purchase 'Jewels' in packages, which avoids buying for every reaction. These Jewels are then converted into the actual Gifts—animations sent to the creator during the broadcast. In return, creators receive 'Rubies,' which represent the creator's income, converting all this virtual support into real earnings. For creators, this is an additional income stream, and for fans, it is an easy way to stay engaged in the moment without interrupting the flow of the broadcast.
A unique aspect of the launch is that YouTube has developed a set of gifts specifically for India that reflects everyday joy. Viewers can send a virtual Vada Pav, Chai Toast, or Pani Puri, as street food sometimes conveys feelings better than words. Gifts such as Badhai Ho, Kem Cho, Macha, and even All Izz Well are available to express festive mood or encouragement. Each carries a cultural nuance unavailable in standard emojis, and YouTube has announced the arrival of new seasonal gifts.
Famous streamer and gamer Naman Mathur (MortaL) explained why these tools are important, going beyond financial metrics. He noted that having multiple ways to interact with fans fundamentally changes the streaming dynamic. Features like Super Chats and Memberships are not only monetization tools but also powerful incentives encouraging creators to host longer and deeper broadcasts.
Mathur mentioned moments like 'Super Chat battles,' where fans use the platform not only to communicate with the creator but also with each other. Gifts possess a similar appeal: audiences enjoy having diverse, highly visual ways to self-express in real time, and creators feel a strengthening of their connection with the community with every new interaction.
Getting started with the feature is easy. Eligible creators can go to the Earn hub in YouTube Studio, follow instructions to enable Gifts, and accept the new Virtual Items Module. Once activated, Gifts automatically appear in live streams without needing extra setup for each broadcast. It should be noted that enabling Gifts means opting out of Super Stickers in live streams, as Gifts takes on this expressive role, aligning with the more dynamic and animated future that YouTube is building.
There is significant activity on social media related to Ranbir Kapoor's highly anticipated film 'Ramayana'. A claim is circulating that an 11-second trailer clip shown at the CinemaCon event has been published online.
In this viral video, Ranbir Kapoor is depicted as the God Rama, shooting an arrow at a giant demon. However, no official confirmation of this clip has been received yet, and many social media users consider it a fake.
The clip showcases a powerful image of Ranbir Kapoor, who dynamically draws his bow and attacks a huge monster. Nevertheless, the demon caught the viewers' attention, which some users compare to 'Godzilla'. Following the clip's spread across social networks, a flurry of memes and comments began.
Users express diverse opinions: one questioned which demon featured in 'Ramayana'; another ironically asked where this 'Loki Godzilla' came from; yet another compared the atmosphere to the film 'Adipurush', while another even suggested it was an 'Adipurush' worth 1200 crore. At the same time, some users categorically stated that the video is fake, advising people to use their judgment before posting.
Currently, this 11-second clip is actively spreading on social media, but the film's creators have made no official statements regarding it. Therefore, it cannot be asserted that these are original shots from the film 'Ramayana'. Nevertheless, the viral video has significantly increased public interest in the film, and fans are now awaiting the first official material demonstration from the creators to find out the truth about this clip.
