"Poora khandan ek taraf, maa ek taraf..."
That one line sums up the world of Nirbhay Shukla, the social media star who rose to fame as the ‘Kanpuriya Guy’. But behind the funny reels and viral fame is a deeply moving story of loss, pain, and raw perseverance.

Born into a family of achievers — grandfather a Superintendent of Police, uncle a District Magistrate, and siblings in engineering — Nirbhay dared to dream differently. He aspired to join the Indian Army, training for it since class 7. But his mother feared losing him to the battlefield. She even stopped him from joining NCC.

It was that same mother, however, who became his biggest cheerleader when he discovered a love for acting. She believed in his artistic potential, even when the rest of the family nudged him toward academics. Her faith slowly won over his father too.

In 2018, Nirbhay got his first acting break in Yeh Un Dinon Ki Baat Hai, playing a negative role. Later, he trained at a prestigious acting school that counts Ranveer Singh, Hrithik Roshan, and Allu Arjun among its alumni.

But then Covid-19 changed everything.

During the pandemic, Nirbhay lost his mother, and with her, a part of himself. Emotionally shattered, he began to hate Mumbai — the city where he lost the most important person in his life. He was gripped by depression, too afraid to leave the house or face the world.

It was during this painful period that Nirbhay turned to content creation — recording skits alone on his phone. What began as therapy quickly became his calling. His raw, relatable, and hilarious portrayal of the typical Kanpuriya won hearts across India.

“The city didn’t take my mother away... it gave me a new identity,” he later reflected.

With millions of views and fans now recognizing him on the streets, one moment stood out for Nirbhay. While crossing the road with his father, a group of fans stopped to take photos. “My father's face lit up with pride,” he recalled. But even in that moment of joy, he missed his mother the most.

“If Maa was here, she would’ve been the happiest.”

Though known for short-form humor, Nirbhay stresses that content creation isn’t easy. Every day is a hustle — brainstorming, scripting, filming, and editing. He’s faced creative burnout too, but credits his team of fellow creators for helping him push through.

Today, Nirbhay Shukla is not just a content creator — he’s a professional actor, a storyteller, and an inspiration. His story is a reminder that grief can break you or shape you, and sometimes, what begins as pain can lead to purpose.