One contestant walked into India’s Got Latent with a rap about Northeast stereotypes and walked out with Rs. 1 lakh but it was her unfiltered replies to Samay Raina that had the internet talking. Meet Chello Meme, the online persona of Bara Atey, a creator from Arunachal Pradesh whose journey into the spotlight began long before her viral Latent appearance.
Who Is Chello Meme?
Chello Meme is the social media identity of Bara Atey, an Arunachal Pradesh-based influencer and digital creator. Her online content spans relatable moments, lifestyle and snippets from everyday life. Over time, her personality-driven content helped her build an audience online. However, her first major brush with public attention came when she was just 19.
The Incident That Put Her In The Spotlight
In 2021, Chello publicly spoke about an alleged incident at Guwahati’s ISBT, claiming that a man had repeatedly touched her inappropriately. At the time, she was on her way to New Delhi to represent Arunachal Pradesh at the National Youth Parliament. She had earned the opportunity after winning the state-level Youth Parliament competition.
At the national event, Chello spoke about self-reliance in India. Her speech gained further visibility after Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a video of it on X. It was an early indication that Chello was comfortable using her voice in public, quality that would later become central to her online persona.
How Chello Built Her Online Identity
After her Youth Parliament appearance, Chello continued creating content on social media and gradually developed her own digital identity. Her content has included relatable and everyday-life posts, along with plenty of personality-driven moments. She also became known among followers for her love of Pepsi. After Chello spoke about having the drink with almost every meal, Pepsi sent her a gift hamper. From public speaking to social media, Chello’s audience continued to grow. Then came India’s Got Latent.
Chello Meme Enters India’s Got Latent
Chello appeared in Season 2, Episode 5 of India’s Got Latent, sharing the episode with Orry, Archana Puran Singh, Nishant Suri and Sharon Verma. She did not simply walk on stage and deliver a conventional comedy routine.
Chello performed a rap highlighting the stereotypes and discrimination experienced by people from Northeast India, including the familiar stereotype of Northeastern people being mistaken for Chinese. But her performance soon turned into an unexpected verbal sparring match with Samay Raina.
The 9/10 Prediction That Won Her The Episode
While the Samay exchange became the viral part of her appearance, Chello also managed to play the show’s scoring system perfectly. Orry, Archana Puran Singh, Nishant Suri and Sharon Verma each awarded her 10/10. Samay gave her 5/10. On the surface, that looked like a low score. But it was actually what helped Chello land exactly where she wanted. Contestants on India’s Got Latent predict their own final score. Chello had predicted a 9. Four scores of 10 and one score of 5 brought her average to exactly 9.
What Did Chello Meme Win?
Chello walked away with:
- Rs. 1 lakh in prize money
- Two AI Nova+ phones
- 50,000 coins on the District app
But the biggest takeaway from the episode may have been something she didn’t take home in a prize box: a much bigger audience.