News18 Network’s Rising India-She Shakti conclave in Delhi on Friday saw an engrossing panel discussion on Social Media Shakti-Desi Virality with popular online content creators Kabita Singh (Kabita’s Kitchen), Shruti Arjun Anand (YouTube comedian), Rashmi Rai (fitness expert, and Aparna Tandale (social media influencer) as participants.
Kabita, who shares easy-to-make recipes with easy-to-find ingredients, said her journey began in 2014, when her son started going to school, and she didn’t have much to do at home. “I then decided to start a YouTube channel on cooking because it had always been my passion. And people would tell me that the basic things I mentioned like when to turn off the gas, how long to cook, etc, are very helpful for bachelors and beginners. I then realised that this was what people wanted. I turned their demand into my strength and focused my videos on that. And people appreciated it," she said.
Shruti Anand said that being an engineer when she ventured towards YouTube, people were sceptical. But her husband and family members encouraged her to chase her passion, she added. “Initially, the responses may be adverse, especially when a married woman is putting out videos on YouTube on comedy and other genres. People may try to make fun of you or denigrate you. But your family is your pillar. When they stand with you, it enhances your strength ten times. You perform better and people enjoy it more," she said.
Social media influencer Aparna Tandale, famous for the character Kaamwali Bai, spoke of her initial struggles when she was trying different things but was just not getting enough views. “At one point I decided to do something that would have many parts. And for that, you need a subject about which you are knowledgeable. My mother was a ‘Kaamwali Bai’ (domestic worker) until recently. So this was a subject I knew a lot about. I thought why not this? Now my mother is known as the ‘mother of Kaamwali Bai’," she said.
The era of women being thin is over, and this is the era of muscles, said fitness expert Rashmi Rai. “Let’s be strong and fight it out. So it’s important to go to the gym, be healthy, and involve yourselves in some kind of activities," said Rai, who then went on to perform 15 pushups on the stage.
The participants spoke about how they have to be careful about their content and the products they endorse, especially because their viewers comprise people from all age groups and demographics. Anand also elaborated on how social media has empowered millions of women who have not only found a medium to have their voices heard but also a source of income while sitting at home.
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