Rebel Kid's Controversial New York Move Explained After 'Extreme Reaction' to Her Life

Indian content creator Apoorva Mukhija, better known online as 'The Rebel Kid', has moved from India to New York to pursue an MBA at New York University's Stern School of Business.

The 25-year-old has described the move as a chance to experience life outside the creator industry and work out who she is away from the online persona she has built over several years. She also wants to meet people from outside her existing social circle and experience aspects of university life she feels she missed previously.

Her relocation follows a period of intense public attention, including backlash over her appearance on comedian Samay Raina's India's Got Latent in 2025. Mukhija has not said the controversy prompted her move, instead describing New York as a city she had wanted to live in for years.

Why Mukhija Moved to New York

Mukhija is now living in university accommodation while studying at NYU Stern. Speaking to Hindustan Times, she said being known as The Rebel Kid had made it difficult to separate her personal identity from her online presence.

She said much of her existing social circle is connected to content creation and that returning to university would allow her to meet people from different backgrounds. During an appearance on the Untriggered podcast, she also discussed wanting a different student experience from the one she had previously had.

The change could also affect her work as a creator. Mukhija said much of her recent content had been produced to fulfil brand commitments and that she wanted more freedom over when she posts.

She has also signalled a shift away from the 'Kaleshi Aurat' persona associated with her online identity, saying on the podcast: 'Kaleshi Aurat is dead now.'

Online Backlash and the 'India's Got Latent' Controversy

One of the most significant controversies of Mukhija's career followed her appearance on India's Got Latent in February 2025.

The episode attracted widespread backlash after guest judge Ranveer Allahbadia made an offensive remark involving a contestant's parents. Mukhija also faced criticism over comments made during the episode. An FIR was filed against her and others connected to the show, and authorities subsequently questioned those involved.

Mukhija has since spoken about the effect of online criticism on her career, saying being 'cancelled' can affect brand deals and income. She has acknowledged that her impulsiveness has sometimes had consequences and said she has apologised when she believed she was wrong.

However, she has not identified the India's Got Latent controversy as a reason for leaving India. Her comments about the move have focused on studying, living in New York and stepping outside the creator industry.

Why She Chose an MBA Over Entertainment

Although Mukhija made her acting debut in the 2025 film Nadaaniyan, she has said Bollywood is not her main long-term ambition.

She plans to return to India after completing her studies and eventually establish a direct-to-consumer business. Her experience promoting products through social media led her to become interested in the work involved in running the businesses behind them.

Mukhija said she wants to learn about operations, supply chains, unit economics and margins, areas she previously felt she did not understand in enough depth.

Her MBA therefore represents a move into the business side of the work she has already been doing as a creator. As of now, she is continuing her studies in New York while deciding how much of her social media career she wants to maintain alongside them.