Riyas Salim (രിയാസ് സലിം) is an Indian social media influencer, engineer, and feminist activist born on 14 October 1997 in Karicode, Kollam district, Kerala, into a Muslim family. He completed his B.Tech from Thangal Kunju Musaliar (TKM) Institute of Technology, Kollam, and worked as an engineer at a few firms before committing fully to social media and activism. A performer since childhood, he actively participated in school and college fests, including a singing competition at the Regalia 2019 college festival. He first gained popularity through TikTok in May 2020, building a following with videos advocating feminist values and LGBTQI+ rights. After TikTok was banned in India, he shifted to Instagram reels and YouTube (channel launched 7 June 2020), continuing to post content on women's rights, acid attacks, abortion, and related social justice topics. He declared himself an atheist in an Instagram Q&A in 2021, having previously been a devout theist. He has over 1.6 million Instagram followers and has faced sustained cyberbullying for his progressive views. In April 2022, he entered Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 4 as the second wildcard contestant, initially placed in a secret room to observe housemates before joining the main house. His candid, intellectual, and warm presence made him one of the season's most celebrated personalities. He finished as the second runner-up on 3 July 2022, and is widely regarded as one of the finest ever contestants in Bigg Boss Malayalam history.
Feminist and LGBTQI-rights advocacy content on Instagram (1.6 million+ followers) and YouTube; finishing as second runner-up on Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 4 (2022) as a wildcard entry; being one of the most acclaimed Bigg Boss Malayalam contestants of all time.
