“Fans Today Are Culture Curators, Not Passive Consumers,”: Jinal & Vivek Ajmera On Building India’s Fandom Economy

Jinal and Vivek Ajmera are the sibling co-founders behind MYFANDOM, a fan-first platform redefining how artists and brands engage with superfans in India.

From official merchandise and limited-edition drops to curated fan experiences, the duo is building a new-age fandom economy,one that turns passion into participation and communities into culture.

In an exclusive interview with loudest.in, Jinal and Vivek Ajmera discuss India’s shift to active superfans, the rise of merchandise as a cultural identity marker, and the future of a community-driven, fan-first fandom economy.

Here are edited excerpts:

1.India is moving from ‘followers’ to ‘superfans’. What behavioural shift are you seeing in Indian fandom today that convinced you merchandise could become a cultural statement, not just a product?

Today’s consumers are more culture-curators. The line between consumer & curator has blurred, so has the one between follower & superfan. Fans, as curators of culture, do not subscribe to a passive fandom. Watching a movie, listening to an album doesn’t cut it anymore, because it does little to add to one’s cultural cache. They need more to live their fandom, so owning Official artist Merch that makes you indistinguishable from another fan anywhere in the world, makes the entire experience of being a fan legit, elevated, and all the more worth sharing.

2.You work across global acts like Coldplay and Guns N’ Roses and Indian film IPs like 3 Idiots and Munna Bhai. How different, or similar, is the emotional language of fandom across music and cinema in India?

Fandoms, across genres, countries, ages, we’ve noticed are more similar than they are different. The emotional language tends to reflect the same level of passion, obsession, and curiosity. The difference, if any, is only in how much the artist/IP invests into the business of fandom to build an organic connection with their fans. 

3.In a world where piracy and unofficial merch still thrive, how do you convince fans that ‘official’ merchandise is worth paying a premium for and how do artists benefit beyond revenue?

Fans have always wanted accessibility to official artist merch, to express their fandom. There was a visible gap in the market that MYFANDOM was able to recognise and fill by offering official, premium merchandise, made in India. Indian fans are discerning consumers and ultimately, quality is what matters to them. Fan connection comes through in every offering of an artist - livestreams, exclusive content, official merch - signalling their long-term commitment to the fan. For artists who keep fans at the center of their world, fan engagement becomes an integral to their work. It’s a part of everything they do from music releases, live experiences, official merchandise, and exclusive content. 

4.Looking ahead, do you see India’s fandom economy evolving more towards limited-edition drops and experiences, or community-led ecosystems where fans co-create alongside artists and brands?

India has seen the Year of Fandom in 2025, yet India’s Fandom Economy is at a nascent stage. With limited drops, fan experiences, listening parties and merch pop-ups, we’re headed to having strong community-led ecosystems. The sense of community that fandom brings, is culturally akin to how Indians gather and celebrate. What we know for sure is that, when quality, authenticity, and value remain uncompromised, Indian fans are adaptive to this new Fandom Era. Leaning into fan-first initiatives, in India, is certainly a successful formula in building a thriving Fandom Ecosystem.