Aflevering Zane Thadani: The Pressure To Go Viral - Anxiety, Fame & Mental Health | Ep.29 Kasa Connect

In this episode of Kasa Connect, we sit with Zane Thadani — actor, comedian, and creator known for his viral Instagram and TikTok sketches that have taken the UK South Asian community by storm. Zane opens up about the real journey behind virality: the emotional rush of going viral, the mental crash of creative slumps, and the pressure of constantly needing to “hit” again. He shares the story of dancing to “Chaiyya Chaiyya” on the London tube, how that moment helped him overcome social anxiety, and why embarrassment became his greatest tool for confidence. We dive deep into mental health, consistency, originality, hate comments, family reactions, networking, confidence, acting, filmmaking, and why creators often lose themselves while chasing virality. Zane also reflects on cultural identity, British-Indian representation, and his ambitions beyond short-form content. If you’re a creator — or just fascinated by the psychology behind fame — this conversation is honest, funny, and packed with practical insights from someone who has lived the highs and lows of modern content creation. (00:00) First viral moment & early nerves (00:31) Intro to Zane Thadani (01:23) Recognition in the South Asian community (01:44) How his viral journey started (02:44) The emotional high of virality (03:52) How creators make money (04:35) Creative slumps & mental health (05:29) Why Zane creates (06:10) Tube dance changed everything (07:42) Embarrassment ? confidence (08:30) Tips for going viral today (10:08) Gen Z attention spans (10:32) Originality vs adaptation (11:20) Hate comments & family responses (12:18) Ambition & identity (12:55) Networking & privilege (14:47) Insecurity & reinvention (17:25) Advice for new creators (18:30) Consistency vs quality (19:21) Rapid fire (21:17) Misconceptions about content creation (21:57) Emotional rollercoaster of engagement (22:24) Perks of fame (22:57) Filmmaking journey (23:47) Film school vs doing (24:23) Favourite films (26:17) Theatre experiences (28:34) Acting inspirations (29:27) Acting vs content (30:19) Family feedback (31:13) Advice to younger self (32:05) Authenticity vs persona (32:35) Cultural identity (33:09) Expanding beyond niche (34:16) Dream brand collabs (35:14) Networking superpower (36:39) Connecting with Zane (37:20) Final advice: consistency