INTERVIEW – BGMI fan Karan Kargwal on building a real-life buggy, rooftop struggles, viral fame, and more

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Story Highlights

  • Karan Kargwal built a real-life BGMI buggy from scratch on a rooftop in Rajasthan.
  • Balanced a full-time railway job while building his passion project every weekend.
  • Gained over 220K followers as his rooftop buggy build went viral on Instagram.

Karan Kargwal, an enthusiast of Battle Grounds Mobile India (BGMI) and a technician at Indian Railways, has captivated the nation by crafting a genuine replica of the game’s famous buggy. This life-size creation was entirely handmade in his humble home terrace in Sri Ganganagar. The project initially began as a pastime during weekends, but it soon evolved into a popular Instagram series boasting over 2 lakh followers.

At GamingonPhone, we were fortunate enough to delve deeper into Karan’s remarkable odyssey, uncovering the challenges he encountered, and how KRAFTON’s Beyond Battlegrounds program is paving the way for his visionary project to reach its culmination.

The love for BGMI and the inspiration

Similar to numerous others, Karan embarked on his Battlegrounds Mobile India adventure during the COVID-19 confinement period. He connected with his friends over the internet, and what initially seemed like casual play soon grew into a captivating hobby for him.

During that time, Battle Grounds Mobile India wasn’t merely a game for him; rather, it served as our means of staying in touch. Over the course of days, he became increasingly captivated by it.

In the game, the buggy was the one vehicle that particularly caught his attention. The excitement of navigating it during matches ignited a creative spark: Could he possibly replicate this experience in reality? With this notion and a basic concept sketched in his mind, the idea for bringing the buggy’s adventure into real life began to take shape.

Building a Buggy on a rooftop

On weekends, despite having a full-time job in Delhi, Karan would journey back to Sri Ganganagar to continue working on the project. His home’s terrace served as the entire workspace for this venture, with the scorching desert heat frequently testing Karan’s resilience.

Sharing his experience, he mentions that despite limited space, his terrace transformed into a workshop for him. His family, including his parents and brother, were a significant support system, standing by him during challenging times and inspiring him to persevere. Initially, he chose to refurbish the engine from his cherished motorcycle rather than selling it.

However, this was only the start of the journey for Karan. Finding suitable parts, navigating tight spaces, and overcoming an injury on his left hand proved challenging. Despite a scar as a reminder of one of his accidents, he never considered giving up. Instead, the experience fueled his determination and led him to name his Buggy “Wolf”.

Capturing the journey, vlogging and viral growth

Karan’s passion for vlogging was long-standing, which made it effortless for him to chronicle his experiences on Instagram. Consistently, he started sharing frequent updates that depicted his advancements, hurdles, and backstage glimpses.

As a gamer, I remember thinking my follower count was growing steadily, but then it suddenly exploded from 50,000 to 100,000 almost overnight. That’s when I realized people were genuinely connecting with my story. Now, I’m proud to say that I have over 200K followers on Instagram alone!

As our community expanded, we received an abundance of feedback. Suggestions ranged from engine modifications, color choices, to minor mechanical adjustments. However, Karan remained committed to his original design vision. As he puts it, ‘I valued the feedback, but this project was my dream. I made sure it mirrored my ideas, with input from my closest associates.’

Inspiring creativity in many, a journey worth documenting

Karan’s tale serves as a compelling demonstration of how video games can spark genuine innovation in everyday life. In discussing the potential of games to transcend simple entertainment, Karan underscores the significance of dedication and conviction. He explains, “Interest is key, but it’s also about putting in the effort and trusting in your endeavors.

Apart from acknowledging his own creativity, he attributes the hands-on knowledge he gained from a previous welding class as instrumental in realizing his concept. This training served as a connecting pathway, linking his profession as a railway technician with his new role as an inventor.

Karan demonstrated that unwavering resolve can shatter limitations. His story, transforming from a humble blacksmith in a small town into an internet phenomenon, is not merely about gaming; it’s about challenging preconceived notions, listening to one’s inner voice, and producing something that resonates with others.

KRAFTON recently lent a hand to conclude Karan’s Instagram series, aptly titled “Beyond Battlegrounds.” The buggy project reached its climax with this final episode, serving as a testament that gaming extends well beyond the confines of our screens. For numerous individuals, he serves not only as an entertainer but also a source of inspiration. We wish Karan continued success in his future projects.

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2025-08-08 10:12