For Vikas Malpani of Leher, audio and video are just mediums. “The real trend is social media, conversations and networking,” says the co-founder and CEO of the Indian answer to Clubhouse, which actually launched in 2018. “What’s happening is that the virtual and real worlds are merging now. Socialising happens virtually these days, even before it moves offline. In real life, it’s hard to find people of the same intellectual level as you, or ones who have the same interests. But, at platforms like Leher, you can do that,” he adds. On Leher, as in Clubhouse, you can make your own rooms and converse about whatever you are passionate about. Listeners can come in and out. And you can also create “clubs” where an invite is sought. “We are happy that Clubhouse is here now. When you are the first to do this, people are hesitant, but when the market opens up, it’s better for everyone,” he says of the app, which he co-founded with Atul Jaju. 

Launched in 2018, Leher now has audio, with an option for video interface. You can host a live session or record it, and it’s available on Android and iOS platforms, unlike Clubhouse. The app also has over 1.7 lakh users, a majority of whom are young Indian professionals, between the age of 22 and 40. Language is no barrier, and hence, it’s doing well in Tier II cities as well.