Apoorva Mukhija

Early life and education

Apoorva Mukhija was born on 28 July 2001 in New Delhi, India, according to several published biographical profiles. She grew up in North India and has been associated with Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and other cities in Haryana and Delhi during her childhood and education. She completed her schooling at Khaitan Public School, Convent of Jesus and Mary in New Delhi, and Delhi Public School, Panipat, Haryana. After completing her school education, she enrolled at Manipal University Jaipur in Rajasthan, where she pursued a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree in Computer Science between 2018 and 2022. During her university years, Mukhija developed an interest in digital content creation and began experimenting with short-form videos. Alongside her academic commitments, she explored social media platforms as a creative outlet. Although she completed her engineering education, she eventually chose a career in digital media rather than following a conventional engineering career path.

Digital career

Beginning of content creation. Apoorva began publishing content on social media around 2019. One of her early videos was titled If Beauty Gurus Were Honest, which introduced audiences to her comedic approach to beauty and lifestyle content. Her videos featured humorous observations, personal experiences, exaggerated storytelling and commentary on everyday situations. She gradually developed a distinctive presentation style that relied on direct narration and relatable experiences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her short-form videos gained increased visibility. Her content began reaching a wider audience, particularly among younger social media users. She became popularly known as The Rebel Kid, a name that became associated with her online identity across Instagram and YouTube.

Rise in popularity. Mukhija gained recognition for her storytelling videos, comedic sketches, mini vlogs and lifestyle-related content. Her videos frequently covered college experiences, friendships, relationships, social expectations, dating and everyday situations. Her conversational delivery and outspoken presentation helped distinguish her content from conventional influencer videos. As her audience expanded, she began collaborating with several national and international brands. According to an NDTV profile published in February 2025, her brand collaborations included companies such as OnePlus, Netflix, Spotify, Google, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon, Flipkart and Meta. She also worked with brands including Nike, Maybelline and other fashion, technology and lifestyle companies. Her growing popularity led to opportunities beyond social media, including fashion events, television appearances and acting projects.

Professional career

Corporate employment. Before becoming a full-time content creator, Mukhija worked in the corporate sector. Following her graduation from Manipal University Jaipur, she joined Dell Technologies in a professional role associated with sales engineering and business operations. Before and during her transition into content creation, she gained experience through internships and professional activities in areas including social media marketing and web development. She eventually moved away from conventional corporate employment to concentrate on her digital career.

Brand collaborations and modelling. Mukhija has worked with companies across several industries, including fashion, cosmetics, entertainment, consumer technology and e-commerce. Her collaborations have included advertising campaigns, sponsored videos, product promotions and digital marketing activities. She has also participated in fashion-related events and modelling assignments. In 2024, she walked the ramp for designer Tarun Tahiliani. In March 2026, skincare brand Aqualogica, part of Honasa Consumer, announced her appointment as the brand ambassador for its sunscreen category. The announcement was accompanied by a campaign featuring actor Sheeba Chaddha. Her commercial activities have expanded her presence from social media entertainment into advertising and brand representation.

Acting and television

Who's Your Gynac? (2023). Mukhija made her scripted acting debut in 2023 with the Hindi web series Who's Your Gynac?. She portrayed Akshata Mesharam in the series, which follows the experiences of a young medical professional navigating her career and personal life. The project marked her transition from short-form digital entertainment into scripted performances.

Baat Pakki (2025). In 2025, Mukhija appeared in the entertainment project Baat Pakki, where she portrayed the character Gunjan. The project added another acting credit to her growing entertainment career.

Nadaaniyan (2025). Mukhija made her film appearance in the 2025 romantic comedy-drama Nadaaniyan, featuring Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor. She portrayed Rhea Vohra in the film, which was released on Netflix. The appearance brought her work to a wider audience beyond her established social media following.

The Traitors (2025). In 2025, Mukhija participated in the Indian reality television series The Traitors, hosted by filmmaker and television personality Karan Johar. The programme featured contestants participating in a social deduction competition involving strategy, alliances, deception and identifying the hidden Traitors. Mukhija's participation introduced her to another format of reality entertainment and brought her into contact with contestants from different professional backgrounds.

Lock Upp 2 (2026). In 2026, Mukhija appeared in the second season of the reality television programme Lock Upp, hosted by Riteish Deshmukh and Farah Khan. She entered the programme as an Informer rather than as a regular competing contestant. Her role involved influencing interactions and creating confrontations among participants. Her brief appearance generated discussion on social media, particularly after she addressed criticism of her conduct inside the programme. In July 2026, she stated through Instagram Stories that her assignment involved provoking conflicts among contestants and that her contractual obligations had prevented her from discussing her departure earlier.

Everyone Can Design (2026). Mukhija was also listed among the cast members of the 2026 Hindi television miniseries Everyone Can Design, alongside Tamannaah Bhatia, Tanmay Bhat, Sahiba Bali and other personalities. The programme features creators participating in design challenges using Adobe Express.

Awards and recognition

Mukhija has received recognition for her work in digital content creation and social media entertainment. Her reported achievements include: 2023 — Exhibit Award for Digital Content Creation. 2023 — Featured in Forbes India's Top 100 Digital Stars. 2024 — Who's Next Influencer Award for Storyteller of the Year. 2024 — Entrepreneur India Award for Rising Star of the Year. 2024 — Cosmopolitan Blogger Award. 2024 — Featured in Forbes India's Top 100 Digital Stars list, where she was reported among the leading creators. Her inclusion in Forbes India's digital creator rankings reflected her growing presence in India's influencer industry.

Public image and controversies

Mukhija is known for her outspoken personality and direct approach to storytelling. Her online content has frequently attracted attention for its humour, personal commentary and unfiltered presentation. Her growing public profile has also brought criticism and controversies.

India's Got Latent controversy (2025). In February 2025, Mukhija appeared as a panel member on an episode of the YouTube comedy and talent show India's Got Latent, hosted by comedian Samay Raina. The episode also featured YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia and other digital personalities. During the programme, remarks made by Allahbadia and interactions involving the panel attracted widespread criticism after clips from the episode circulated online. Mukhija also faced criticism for her comments during an interaction with a contestant and became the subject of significant online backlash. The controversy resulted in police complaints and investigations in multiple jurisdictions. Assam Police registered a case involving several personalities associated with the programme, including Mukhija. On 12 February 2025, she appeared before Mumbai Police, where her statement was recorded in connection with the investigation. She told investigators that the programme was not scripted and that participants had been instructed to speak freely. The controversy also led to widespread online harassment and threats directed at individuals associated with the show. The incident became one of the major public controversies of her career and generated national discussion about online entertainment, freedom of expression and the regulation of digital content. The police proceedings should be distinguished from a finding of criminal guilt. Any later court decision concerning other participants should not automatically be treated as a ruling on proceedings involving Mukhija.

Online criticism and public response. Mukhija has frequently been involved in discussions surrounding influencer culture, online criticism and the expectations placed on social media personalities. Following the 2025 controversy, she spoke about the personal impact of public scrutiny and the difficulties of maintaining an online identity under constant attention. In 2026, she discussed how the pressure to remain relevant and continuously produce content had influenced her personal and professional life.

Personal life

Family. Mukhija comes from an Indian family and has occasionally shared details about her family through her social media content. Her mother is identified in published profiles as Anita Mukhija. She has also mentioned having a younger brother. Her father's identity and professional background have not been extensively documented in reliable public sources. Mukhija has occasionally shared family-related experiences and personal stories with her online audience, although she generally maintains boundaries around certain aspects of her family's private life.

Relationships. Mukhija has not publicly confirmed a marriage and is unmarried according to available published profiles. She has discussed personal relationships and dating experiences in her content and interviews. However, she has not consistently disclosed details about her romantic relationships.

Higher education and move to New York

MBA at NYU Stern (2026). In August 2026, Mukhija relocated from India to New York City to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at New York University's Stern School of Business. She discussed the decision in an interview with the Untriggered podcast hosted by AminJaz and in subsequent media interviews. Mukhija explained that she had applied to only one university because she specifically wanted to study and live in New York. After receiving admission, she decided to leave her established professional environment in India and return to student life. She also discussed her interest in learning about business operations, supply chains, marketing, financial planning and other aspects of building a company. In interviews published in August 2026, she explained that her longer-term ambition was to establish her own direct-to-consumer business in India. She also spoke about wanting to develop an identity beyond her online persona, The Rebel Kid, and taking a break from the constant pressure of maintaining a public social media presence. Her move to New York marked a new phase in her education and professional development.

Net worth

Mukhija's individual net worth has not been officially disclosed. Several online publications have circulated estimates of her wealth based on brand endorsements, advertising partnerships, social media revenue and entertainment projects. A 2025 report associated her personal brand with an estimated valuation of approximately Rs 41 crore. However, this figure should not be interpreted as independently verified personal net worth. Her actual earnings and financial assets have not been established through publicly available audited financial statements.

Social media presence

Mukhija maintains an online presence across several social media platforms under her popular identity, The Rebel Kid. Instagram: @the.rebel.kid. YouTube: The Rebel Kid (@the.rebelkid). LinkedIn: Apoorva Mukhija. Her social media content includes comedy videos, personal storytelling, lifestyle updates, travel-related content and brand collaborations.

Facts and trivia

Apoorva Mukhija is popularly known as The Rebel Kid. She is also associated with the online nickname Kaleshi Aurat. She began creating online content around 2019. Her early content included humorous videos about beauty influencers and everyday situations. She completed a B.Tech in Computer Science from Manipal University Jaipur. She previously worked at Dell Technologies. She has collaborated with more than 60 brands, according to media profiles. She appeared in Who's Your Gynac? in 2023. She participated in The Traitors in 2025. She appeared in the Netflix film Nadaaniyan in 2025. She appeared in Lock Upp 2 in 2026 as an Informer. She was associated with the 2026 programme Everyone Can Design. In March 2026, Aqualogica appointed her as its sunscreen category brand ambassador. She relocated to New York in August 2026 to pursue an MBA at NYU Stern. She has expressed an interest in establishing her own direct-to-consumer business after completing her higher education.

Profile Summary

Filmography

Frequently Asked Questions

References

• The Times of India
• NDTV
• India Today
• The Economic Times
• The Indian Express
• The Times of India
• NDTV
• NDTV
• Hindustan Times
• MediaNews4U
• NDTV