Bullied for being skinny, now I'm an influencer inspiring millions!
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
It was 2017 when I decided to open an Instagram account and started posting pictures almost every day. I have always been very skinny and have been frequently skinny-shamed in school and somewhere I felt I was losing my self-esteem but I felt so happy every time I was in front of the camera and it felt very liberating. Ever since I was a child the spotlight has always thrilled me. I have been doing Bengali recitation since I was 3.5 years old and slowly being on stage felt very empowering to me, like I had the power to inspire people.
Content creation just felt like an opportunity to do so. My biggest goal has been to inspire people to happily embrace themselves, and who they really are.My family has always been very supportive of my creative pursuits and my literature-based academic background and my interest in different performing arts and fine arts have helped me plan my content in a better way My content focuses mainly on beauty fashion and lifestyle content. One thing I do is try my best to put out honest reviews and genuine content so as to create a community of audience who are engaging in a true sense.
2. When did you first decide that you wanted to create content and how did you start?
Although I started posting on Instagram in 2017, it wasn't until 2020 that I decided to start creating proper content. I often saw people around me complaining about the fact that they need to invest a lot of money into clothes and makeup to look good on social media. Therefore during the lockdown, I decided to explore this challenge and create content that shows that creating a social media presence doesn't really need financial investment but more of an emotional investment and a determined attitude to dress up show up, and not give up.
I started styling my old clothes in newer ways. I didn't even have a proper studio set up so I often used “jugads” to manage the backgrounds. Somehow brand Collabs slowly started coming in and my content received positive reviews from the audience. The best part of it was when young girls often texted me saying you're relatable, your content makes us feel we can create content too that really felt like an accomplishment.
3. Is vlogging and YouTube content creation a financially sustainable career?
It definitely is a financially sustainable career because the current world is digitally driven and most people prefer exploring the internet for shopping or inspiration due to the time constraint. Most brands are focusing on digital marketing and this definitely has the potential to provide individuals with financially promising careers.
4. How and where do you find inspiration to churn out content?
My goal has always been to create content that caters to my audience and reflects my personality. I'm constantly learning and growing and this might sound strange but I often reflect upon my mistakes and what I could have done to do something in a better way and that becomes my inspiration for the upcoming content. I also feel it's very necessary to feel and acknowledge our emotions and my daily life and my feelings are also one of the basis for my content.
5. What does your typical day look like?
I'm pursuing my master's currently in English literature and a huge part of my day generally consists of academics but I'm a person with a lot of hobbies like Debating, quizzing, singing, dancing, painting, cooking, and on a day to day basis I turn to them for comfort. Apart from content creation I also pursue anchoring, modeling, and acting. I definitely love my busy life but on some days I just laze around lying on my sofa binge watching random shows and movies. I feel it's extremely necessary to take breaks to recharge and be more productive.
6. Which is your favorite book and why?
I'm a huge fan of classics and detective fiction because they have a lot to offer about human psychology which intrigues me. One of my favorites is A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. It's a beautiful story that shows that we never know how life is for other people, it's not always what it seems; also in times of crisis love is the greatest shield, and letting go can bring a lot of peace that holds onto something.
7. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring creators?
Confidently embrace your body it's one of your greatest assets.
It's okay to fail but not give up
Lastly, do what makes you happy and brings you peace. No amount of materialistic pleasure will ever compare to the satisfaction of doing what you love
Interviewed by - Siddhi Pancholi
Edited by- Arunangshu Chatterjee
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