Being confined indoors has only increased most of our mindless hours spent scrolling through social media. Amidst all the photoshop, product plugging, and influencers pretending like nothing unusual is going on in the world, there are a handful of influencers who aren’t afraid to show their unfiltered reality and speak their minds; they post content that is helpful, relevant, and sure to leave you feeling more positive than when you arrived on their page.
Here’s a list of Indian female influencers who will help you feel better and more aware during lockdown.
Kusha Kapila
With hilarious avatars like ‘Ma Wokeanand’ and ‘Billi Maasi’, Kusha Kapila is one of the funniest digital content creators right now. Her content has always had a tone of irreverence and undertone of poignance, be it when poking fun at rude aunties, trolls, or sexism in pop culture.
More importantly, Kapila is one of the very few popular influencers making relevant “quarantine content” right now.
From talking about the struggle of how to end calls during quarantine, “How to Make Basic AF Dal Chawal”, trying to workout at home, to Indian families during “#9PM9Minutes” – if there’s a trend, chances are Kapila’s either hopped on it or poked fun at it, and if there’s a social issue, she’s highlighted it through her witty videos.
Tahira Kashyap
Kashyap refuses to be boxed into categories as a cancer survivor, or being celebrity Ayushmann Khurrana’s wife, but never shies away from being candid about any of these things either.
She’s been vocal about helping those in need during lockdown and encouraging her audiences to do the same. In an effort to “not let the lockdown lock our spirits”, she has started posting a series called “The Lockdown Tales with Tahira” every three days, where she narrates inspirational and moving stories written by her.
Barkha Dutt
Barkha Dutt’s bold commitment to reporting news during the lockdown from the ground has been astonishingly commendable.
From news snippets, videos of on-goings in the outside world, to her own experience on the road, she’s been updating us through social media regularly, amidst her daunting work.
Today she posted a photo of a bowl of poha captioned, “Day 43 of reporting the Pandemic and the lockdown and we have learnt to use the car as if its our home. Because no dhabas are open and there is no food available along the highways nor any utensils we now stock up on bartans, and cooked dry food and water. The caravan life. But the poha this morning was good and you learn to love the small stuff”
Srishti Dixit
In a recent interview with The Hindu, Srishti had said, “Influencing is beyond suggesting a product or a website. It is a very serious responsibility so it is important to put out the not so glamorous side too. If people look at some of my videos and feel, she is so well turned out and has perfect hair and all that, then it becomes my responsibility to say ‘ji nahi this is one side of my social media presence.’”
Srishti has followed through with this ideology as an influencer, right from when she rose to fame during her days at BuzzFeed, to now as an independent content creator during the lockdown.
Srishti’s content during the lockdown, beneath all the entertaining jokes, is an honest, observant, and relatable take on the struggles and discrepancies of life during quarantine.
You Might Also Like
Natasha Noel
Noel has been unfailingly honest and vulnerable when it comes to sharing her ongoing struggles with mental health and negative body image.
Her story is inspiring and her content unfiltered and bold. From fitness videos to emotional and motivational posts, her page has everything you need to feel some much-needed self-love during this quarantine.
Dolly Singh
When Dolly Singh isn’t giving us a stitch in our sides with her hilarious avatars like “Guddi Bhabi” and “Raju ki Mummy”, she’s vocal about mental health, PMS and PCOD struggles, and body shaming.
From post-lockdown expectations and plans, birthdays during quarantine, “When Coronavirus Makes You Join TikTok” to “Mothers When You Walk Over Their Pocha”, Singh’s videos are unique, entertaining and extremely relevant.
Saloni Chopra
Chopra has never shied away from speaking out about gendered issues, her experiences with internalised misogyny and body shaming, and attempts to dismantle patriarchal attitudes amongst her audiences, one post at a time.
Saloni’s posts can make you feel uplifted and empowered, push you to treat yourself better, without ever being made to feel guilty or pressured.
A Positive Influence During Lockdown
Being an influencer is a giant responsibility – a fact that a large percentage of influencers do not seem to realise.
The above-mentioned list of women seem to be aware of what the power to “influence” people entails, and have handled said power to spread laughter, love, and awareness during a time when we all could use some positive influencing.
You’re invited! Join the Kool Kanya women-only career Community where you can network, ask questions, share your opinions, collaborate on projects, and discover new opportunities. Join now.
