Upcoming content creator and Christopher Nolan fan, Anush Maharaj believes the internet is more than a place to post videos.
It is a space where young Fijians can build careers, promote businesses, tell stories and, perhaps most importantly, show the world a different side of Fiji.
He stressed however that there is still work to be done before Fiji can fully realise the opportunities presented by the digital world.
After four years of creating content, Maharaj has experienced both sides of the online environment — the encouragement that comes with growing an audience and the criticism that often follows putting yourself publicly on social media.
He now wants to see a more responsible and supportive online culture emerge.
Changing the online culture
Maharaj believes one of the biggest challenges facing Fiji’s content creators is the way some people use social media.
In an interview with The Sunday Times this week, he pointed to the prevalence of swearing, hateful comments, personal attacks and inappropriate material, particularly on live streams and in comment sections.
“What I would like to say is that we have to put an end to this hate,” he said.
Maharaj explained that the way Fijians conduct themselves online can influence how the country is perceived by people outside Fiji.
There are thousands of Fijians using platforms such as TikTok, but negative content can overshadow the positive work being done by creators who are trying to build legitimate careers.
He believes this can also affect opportunities.
Brands and organisations looking to work with creators may be more hesitant if Fiji’s online space is perceived as dominated by abusive or irresponsible content.
“We need to stop abusing TikTok,” he said.
That does not mean abandoning social media but learning to use it more constructively.
An emerging career
Maharaj sees content creation as more than a hobby.
Through four years of making videos, he said he has developed skills in marketing, communication and audience engagement. Those skills have already led to businesses approaching him to promote their products and services.
He has also used his platform to promote small businesses without charging them.
Whether it is a roadside food vendor or a small family-run business, Maharaj said he enjoys giving them exposure because many owners work hard but may not have the resources to advertise themselves.
His experience has convinced him that content creation can provide genuine opportunities for young people.
But there are limitations in Fiji.
Maharaj highlighted the lack of monetisation for some major digital platforms as a barrier for local creators hoping to turn their online audiences into sustainable careers.
He would like to see greater recognition of digital content creation and more opportunities for young people to develop their skills.
The issue is not simply about making money from social media but about recognising that the digital economy requires skills that young Fijians are already developing.
Learning from rejection
Maharaj’s approach to his own career has been influenced by an unlikely figure , the iconic Hollywood director Christopher Nolan.
Nolan’s journey resonates with him because of the filmmaker’s experience of rejection and his determination to create opportunities rather than wait for them.
Maharaj said he has also faced rejection when approaching people and organisations for opportunities.
Instead of allowing those experiences to stop him, he decided to create his own path.
His two world records are part of that strategy.
The achievements gave him international recognition and, he hopes, will attract opportunities that could take his content creation career beyond Fiji.
The lesson he draws from Nolan is that sometimes the opportunity has to be created before others are willing to recognise it.
Creating space for others
Despite his own ambitions, Maharaj’s message is not only about himself.
He wants young people who are beginning their own journeys in content creation to receive more encouragement.
He believes criticism can easily discourage someone who is still developing their confidence, particularly when that person is young.
“If someone is trying, you have to support them instead of criticising them,” he said.
This could be particularly important for young entrepreneurs using social media to promote their businesses.
A teenager trying to sell a product or build a small business online may not have access to traditional advertising platforms, but they can potentially reach thousands of people through social media.
Instead of dismissing those efforts, he believes the wider community should encourage them.
A different digital future
Maharaj’s ambitions remain firmly tied to the digital space.
He wants to produce more long-form content and eventually expand beyond TikTok. YouTube is one platform he hopes to explore more extensively if greater opportunities for monetisation become available to Fijian creators.
But his broader ambition is to see Fiji’s online community mature alongside the technology.
That means creators taking responsibility for what they publish, audiences becoming more respectful and businesses recognising the value of digital platforms.
It also means accepting that social media can be more than entertainment.
For a young man from Labasa who began making TikTok videos in Year 13, the internet has already provided a pathway to recognition that would have been difficult to imagine a generation ago.
His challenge now is to turn that recognition into opportunity — while encouraging others to use the same digital space more responsibly.
Outside The Fiji Times office at Butt Street, Suva with his two world record awards. Maharaj believes greater responsibility and respect online can help create more opportunities for Fiji’s growing community of digital creators. Picture: ALIFERETI SAKIASI
Filmmaker Christopher Nolan, whose career and approach to overcoming rejection have inspired Fijian content creator Anush Maharaj. Picture: WIKIMEDIA
