Bhuvan Bam recalls being caught by police after they mistakenly suspected him of being a pickpocket: ‘tune jeb maari kisi ki?’

Bhuvan Bam recently looked back at an unforgettable incident from the early days of his YouTube journey. The actor and content creator recalled how a routine shopping trip with his mother in Delhi ended with police questioning him after a crowd gathered around him. He also spoke about the challenges he faced while convincing his parents to let him pursue content creation instead of taking up a conventional job.

Bhuvan Bam Asked His Parents For Two Years To Pursue YouTube
Before becoming a well-known digital creator, Bhuvan had to convince his family that YouTube could become a serious career. He recalled that his parents initially expected him to follow a more traditional professional path.


“I had to convince my parents ki nahi bharne mujhe bank ke forms. Mujhe nahi job karni," Bhuvan recalled while speaking at the Storyboard18 Global GenZ Summit. Rather than completely going against his parents' wishes, Bhuvan proposed giving himself two years to prove that his decision could work. He promised that if he failed, he would follow the career path his parents wanted for him. Around the same period, BB Ki Vines began gaining traction and eventually built a sizeable audience.

Bhuvan Bam Was Surrounded By Fans At Sarojini Nagar
One of the incidents from that phase that Bhuvan remembers vividly happened during a trip to Sarojini Nagar. He had taken his mother there for shopping when people began recognising him after he stepped out of the car. What started as a small gathering quickly turned into a larger crowd. His mother was reportedly surprised by the sudden attention her son was receiving. The situation became even more unexpected when the police arrived.

Police Suspected Bhuvan Bam Of Being A Pickpocket
Bhuvan recalled that the police initially misunderstood the situation and suspected him of stealing from someone. His appearance at the time may have added to the confusion, as he had long hair and often wore a bandana.

“Waha police wale aaye, wo mujhe collar se pakad ke le gaye wo bole ‘Tune jeb maari kisi ki?’ Maine kaha ‘maine jeb nahi maari’. Uss time bohot lambe baal hote the aur main bandana pehen ke ghumta tha. (Then the police came, grabbed me by my collar and took me away. They asked, ‘Did you pick someone’s pocket?’ I said, ‘I didn’t pick anyone’s pocket.’ At that time, I had very long hair and used to walk around wearing a bandana)," recalled Bhuvan.

Bhuvan then tried to explain that he was a YouTuber and showed the officers videos from BB Ki Vines. The crowd outside continued chanting his name, eventually helping the police understand that the situation was a case of mistaken identity.

His Mother's Reaction Became The Most Memorable Part
After the incident, Bhuvan noticed his mother smiling while they were returning home. For him, that reaction stood out more than the police misunderstanding itself. His mother had seen first-hand how strangers were recognising her son and gathering around him. The moment gave her a glimpse of the impact Bhuvan's work was beginning to have. For Bhuvan, the incident became a memorable sign that his unconventional career choice was starting to pay off.

Bhuvan Bam To Star In 'The Revolutionaries'
Bhuvan has since expanded his career beyond YouTube, moving into acting and other creative projects. His upcoming project is the period drama series The Revolutionaries, directed by Nikkhil Advani. The series is scheduled to premiere on September 11, 2026.

[With TOI inputs]