Globally loved prankster Ben Phillips was on an India tour in Mumbai on Sunday. His produced British entertainment program Ben Phillips Blows Up follows Ben and his circle of friends playing a prank on his brother Elliot Giles. Apart from the TV show, Ben is also a social media sensation with his videos going viral all across the globe.
In an exclusive email interaction with indianexpress.com, Ben spoke about what got him into making prank videos, his success mantra and emergence of the trend in India.
Q. What made you come to India?
I’ve always wanted to come to India. We have a huge, dedicated fan base here. And the response has been just phenomenal.
Q. How did the idea of making prank videos come to you?
I realised that Elliot (his brother) had an angry personality and it amused me to nudge him with my pranks. It felt natural to make him the number one contender for my pranks.
Q. When you started, did you ever feel it could become your claim to fame?
No, fame was never on the cards! In fact, no one should ever seek fame, it should find you for good reasons…mine was for pranking Elliot!
Q. Doesn’t your brother get upset on becoming the butt of all your pranks?
Yes, Elliot gets offended every day (laughs)! But with the amazing response I get from viewers who leave comments like “you’ve made my day”, “I was feeling depressed, so I watched your videos and now I feel great”, it feels like it is worth it. Also, there’s a thin line on balancing it with humour. In my eyes, you can’t try to be funny. It has to come out naturally.
Q. India is also seeing a surge in prank videos. Any suggestions to the creators?
There’s no right or wrong when it comes to creativity, you just need to have a good angle. You should keep perusing and will eventually find a happy place where your work is satisfying. Work not for money or fame, but for a portfolio, you can be proud of.
Q. How important has social media become for creators like you?
My life’s turning point has been the day I joined Facebook. Social media has changed my life completely, but the platform needs creators. That is the only way it can survive.
Q. Apart from these videos, what else keeps you busy?
My girlfriend, supercars, travelling, and happiness.
Q. Lastly, what has been your success mantra?
Elliot, of course!
