Content creator and internet personality Apoorva Mukhija, popularly known as The Rebel Kid, has opened up about her complicated tryst with modern dating — and her brutally honest take is striking a chord with young urban singles.
Currently featured on Amazon Prime’s Indian adaptation of The Traitors, hosted by Karan Johar, Apoorva sat down with Mashable India to discuss her romantic misadventures and shared a bleak assessment of Mumbai’s dating scene. “Dating market kharab hai Mumbai mein. Yahan chalu hai asli recession,” she quipped, suggesting that being single in today’s urban reality isn’t always a choice — but rather a reflection of socio-digital dynamics. “Jo log single hai aajkal, including myself, wo isliye single hai kyunki unhe koi nai chahta.”
Apoorva elaborated that despite being active on several dating platforms, she rarely found genuine connections. One recurring challenge, she noted, is the prejudice and projection people bring when dating influencers. “People think I might make a video about them,” she said, reflecting on how her digital identity often gets mistaken for her personal intent. The stereotypes go further: “They think, ‘oh she drinks’, ‘she is a gold digger’ — do they even know how much money content creators make?”
One particularly absurd experience stood out. Apoorva recalled a date with a man earning ₹25,000 per month who casually told her he “hated gold diggers.” With characteristic wit, she retorted, “Bhai, pital bhi to nahi hai tere paas, gold digger koi kaise banega?” (Brother, you don’t even have bronze, how can anyone be a gold digger with you?)
This candid insight reflects broader truths about class consciousness, digital persona biases, and gendered assumptions in contemporary Indian dating culture.
Who Is Apoorva Mukhija?
A dynamic presence online, Apoorva Mukhija has amassed a strong following as a content creator and actress. On The Traitors, she’s been recognized for her strategic gameplay — even accurately identifying Raj Kundra as a traitor in an earlier episode.
The reality show features a host of celebrities including Uorfi Javed, Jannat Zubair, Maheep and Anshula Kapoor, Raftaar, Elnaaz Norouzi, Jasmine Bhasin, and others. Contestants like Sahil Salathia, Karan Kundrra, Raj Kundra, and Lakshmi Manchu have already been eliminated, raising the stakes for those still in the game.