Social Ketchup Mag Dec 21

1 SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.
IN
2 SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.IN
CONTENTS 05 Credits
06 Editor’s Note
ON THE COVER
18 Ourange Jyuce Gang:

Saurabh, Karan, and Neel
The Out of the Box Stars
In Conversation With
48 Khushboo Sethi
49 Harshita Bhansali
50 Charu Patel
51 Arun Singh
52 Skye Griffin
08 Rewind Conversations
DECEMBER 2021
QUICK READS
15 Things 2021 taught me!
34 What’s got ‘em hooked

through the year?
36 Through The Lens -

Looking back at 2021!
39 Creator’s corner: What’s

in store in 2022?
WHAT’S BUZZING
43 From the bed to the streets:

Fashion 2021
46 Beauty trends that took

over 2021
FEATURED
12 It’s time to unwind
53 Confluence of Content & Commerce

- The Localpreneurs’ Way!
WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.IN SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 4

SOCIAL KETCHUP Founder and Editor Mrinil Mathur Rajwani
Chief Executive Officer Hitesh Rajwani
Content
Digital Editor Saloni Surti
Senior Content Writer Shachi Lavingia
Content Writer Smrithi Mohan
Content Writer Sakshi Sharma
Contributor Abhishansa Mathur
Contributor Mishkaat Imrani
Contributor Molshree
Junior Content Writer Arushi Dusaj
Marketing
Marketing Manager Gurleen Bhuppal
Creative Team
Design Lead Prash Dalvi
Graphic Designer Simran Makwana
Video Editor Hariprasad Suryawanshi
Influencer Management
Brand Solutions Manager Sarah Vaz
Brand Solutions Manager Sonali Tewari
Sales and Business

Sr. Business Development Manager Dhwani Gandhi
Business Development Manager Heena Adlakha
Business Development Manager Sijo Raju
703, Cosmos Plaza, Next to DN Nagar Metro Station, JP Road,

Andheri West Mumbai, Maharashtra 400053
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EDITOR’S
“This December is not Decembering like the
other Decembers that Decembered.”
I read this somewhere on the internet, and I

related to it instantly.
December 2021!
NOTE
Seriously, we are wrapping up 2021? Pinch
me when I read it, hits different ;)
Well, it might be hard to believe for someone

like me, but I am glad that I came across peo-
ple who made their 2021 a great one and are
riding high on the hopes for the next one and
more.
I feel December is a month of hope and re-

flection. As we look back through the year
to take a glimpse of what happened in our
lives and around us, and with all energy,
thoughts (both good and bad), and a buck-
etful of hope, bid adieu to the year that went
by in a jiffy only to welcome the year that is
knocking. In this December edition of Social
Ketchup Magazine, we have tried to do the
same with fun-filled and high-spirited con-
versations with creators about 2021 & 2022.
And as we rewind 2021 with some of our fa-
vorite creators, we also conversed with the
ones who made it to headlines, hoardings,
and our hearts with their content. Decem-
ber Cover features, not one, not two, but
three Content Creators, who with their wit,
laughter, and hard work, have managed to
win over the Internet Audience and unlocked
achievements that are aspirational for most
of us. Saurabh Ghadge(@saurabhghadge_
vines), Karan Sonawane(@focusedindian),
and Neel Salekar (@just_neel_things)are
an example of how Content Creation, Con-
sistency, and Determination pays off. Dive
into the magazine as we curate experiences
of 2021 and hear what creators have in store
for 2022.
Have a Happy and Safe New Year!
Mrinil Mathur, Founder & Editor

mrinil@socialketchup.in,
@digitalchhokri
If you have stories that should be shared with

the world, send them to letters.to.the.editor@
socialketchup.in or drop me a note.

CONTRIBUTE YOUR
STORIES & INPUTS
WRITE TO
letters.to.the.editor@socialketchup.in

Rewind
Conversations
Content creation needs effort, creativity, hard work, smart work, and a lot more just like any other job. It’s
a constant journey where people expect something unique every single time. Being a content creator is not
easy and can take up years to gain followers and produce something that goes viral. It wouldn’t be wrong
to say that it’s one of the toughest jobs that require a lot and thus offers a great learning experience.
In a candid conversation, Mishkaat Imrani talks to Shreyas Mendiratta, Gunjan Saini, Viraj Kapoor, Devika
Khade, Chaitali Oak, Geetika Singh, and Vidya Lakshmi R about their content creation journey, their nos-
talgia, ups and downs, challenges, and how it’s been so far.
Tell us about
the beginning!
The field of content creation has seen a rise in the last
couple of years. Some creators started their journey
out of passion, while for some it was just a hobby and
a will to share their skills and interests with people.
For Chaitali Oak, it was her passion. “Well, I always
was a ‘ शौक़ीन ’ of clicking pictures by myself. During
the lockdown, the self-portrait thing really caught
up with young artists as well as with me. That’s
when I came across Mansi Ugale, a self-portrait pho-
tographer and her work really inspired me. In July
2019, I started with self-portrait photography and
created informative IGTV showing people how they
could click pictures by themselves creatively”, says
this digital creator and someone who loves express-
ing herself through pictures.
For beauty influencer, Geetika Singh, this lockdown

was the time when she thought of giving content
creation a chance. “Deep down I always wanted to
start my page and the lockdown was the best time.
This year around March, I decided that I will make
it a full-time career. I realized that I always wanted
to do this, and thanks to my friends who made me
realize that I am good at it.”
Viraj Kapoor and Gunjan Saini write amazing poet-

ry and have stolen our hearts with their voices. For
them, it all began because they wanted to share their
feelings with everyone. “I was trying to distract my-
self from the daily hurdles of Bombay. I had so much
to say but very few people to share it with. So, I start-
ed writing and sharing my poems on Instagram”,
says Gunjan. However, for Viraj, it was Veer Zara that
urged him to pen down a few lines and from then on
he hasn’t been able to stop writing. “I remember how
Veer-Zaara was going to celebrate its 16th anniversa-
ry. In the mood to celebrate the day myself, I felt the
urge to write something about it. The next few hours
had me writing, editing, and voice something for the
first time. And today, here I am, doing what I do, and
telling people how main likta hun, aur filmon ko apni
awaaz aur apne jazbaat de kar, bas ek alag dhang se
darshaata hun”, says Viraj.
Chaitali Oak @chaitu_oak

For beauty, fashion, and makeup blogger Vidya
Lakhmi, it was just a hobby that turned into a full-
time career. “When I started, I didn’t know that
there’s something called content creation. I shared
pictures of things I loved like outfits, food, or make-
up. I started sharing a few facts about skin care since
I was suffering from acne. In the journey of finding a
solution for myself, I also started to share them with
my followers and that’s how it started.”
Devika Khade is a theater artist, comedian, and a life-

style and fashion blogger. For her, it was the urge to
make her passion reach new milestones, and audi-
ences. “When I first started with YouTube, I received
a lot of love and support. Then gradually, I started
making Reels which gave my passion more expo-
sure.”
For Shreyas Mendiratta, an artist and YouTuber,

the journey began in 2017 itself when he started
uploading music covers on YouTube and Instagram
and knew that he could do more in comical content
creation. “However I felt like I will be judged for the
same. But, in 2020, I decided to create a TikTok ac-
count for posting comical videos so that none of my
friends would know about it. Soon, my videos start-
ed gaining a lot of traction. Mid-2020, when Reels
came on Instagram, I started posting videos similar
to those on TikTok, and by that time my fear of being
judged was completely gone. And, soon enough, my
visibility also increased”, says Shreyas whose candid
truth-bombs will make you laugh out loud!
Things we learned
and unlearned!
There’s learning in every experience and tough times
and challenges are always going to be around but Vidya Lakshmi R @its_vidya
what we learn from them and how we tackle them
is the real deal. “My journey has definitely been a
roller coaster ride. I’m not only a content creator but
also a daughter, wife, daughter-in-law, sister to two
of my siblings, so I can say that my plate’s full. But,
with the support of my family, friends, and followers
my journey on the platforms has been so good”, says
Vidya. For Geetika, making content was and is still
difficult. “But it’s so good at the same time, as I love
what I am doing now. I love challenges and to make
myself better I have to work on these challenges.”
For Chaitali, it took an entire year to get a proper
reach and improve her work. “It was truly a strug-
gle to create the whole set up by self, shoot and clean
it up. There were times when I put hours to set up
and the shoot failed. Finding a good location, outfit,
shooting, and managing my studies side by side was
a tough thing to do. By 2021, I had improvised a lot
and had gathered a genuine audience who not just
appreciated my work but also felt it. That’s a big win
for me.”
Devika also faced a lot of issues with almost every-

thing in the beginning. “Initially, I had limited access
to equipment to create content, and my primary aim
was to give quality output to my audience. So, even
though recording videos through my phone gave me
a good response, the inner satisfaction of a creator
was still missing. In 2020, I got my DSLR and all oth-
er equipment to boost up quality. But now it’s also
very important to focus on other important aspects
such as consistency, understanding the algorithm,
collaborations, staying active and updated, and
ensuring my content doesn’t hurt anyone’s senti-
ments.”
Viraj, on the other hand, mentions that it took him

time to channelize his self-love in a direction where
the numbers stop affecting the process of creation.
“The growth has also been steady, and I wouldn’t Geetika Singh @glimmer_by_geetika

call it spectacular. But I feel it’s necessary. Call it the
process of building a house for yourself. When you
see each brick being placed on the other, only then
do you appreciate what it holds. It’s just that I’m not
building this house only for myself, but for all those
who appreciate me.”
While for Shreyas, it’s been an exploration and he’s

still discovering new things. “I’m also a 2nd year
MBBS student, an actor in training and a musician.
So I will be trying to do everything, creating videos,
making and releasing music, getting to act in mov-
ies or any web series and trying my hand at standup
comedy. I have a huge bucket list. So hopefully, you
can expect a lot more to come in the coming years.”
Cheers to the lows,

hurdles, risks, and more!
It takes a lot to make a piece of content, present your
thoughts to people and then see it work and some-
times not do well. People can be rude, negative, and
their comments can even test your patience at times.
But, there’s so much more to this. Technicalities,
shooting, recording, and above all, ensuring that
the idea is being given justice. “Being a social media
creator, there’s probably only one main challenge -
“Yaar followers nahi badh rahe”, “Yaar likes nahi aa
rahe”, or “Yaar views nahi aa rahe kya yaar”. And, this
happens with every creator out there. But talking
about a bigger picture, constantly pushing yourself
to growth was, and still is, the biggest challenge.
Sometimes growth never happens, and occasional-
ly a person’s graph starts declining. Getting back up
Devika Khade @whos.devuu and starting to climb again is the toughest job”, says
Shreyas.
One thing that didn’t work for Viraj was trying to de-
viate from his niche and make Reels only for engage-
ment. “When I was starting off, one of the primary
challenges was to gain that base I wanted to cater to.
Now that I move ahead, more concentration lies on
how I’d want to retain that base and make sure the
audience never gets a feeling of monotony. So yes, it
isn’t a smooth sail, but that’s what we all have signed
up for, right?” However, for Vidya, it was her skin co-
lour that was the biggest task. “It was a challenge for
a brown skin woman to be recognized at least back in
the day. So to think outside the box but also embrac-
ing who I am and trying not to fit into beauty stan-
dards was one task.” Vidya also found the algorithm
difficult, but now it’s all fine for her. “The challenge
now is to be consistent and find new content ideas so
it’s not overlooked.”
Being a student as well as a content creator, Chai-

tali has a list of things that she finds troubling. Be it
shooting outside, or maintaining her studies, or put-
ting the entire set-up on her own, her journey has
been tough and required her to get out of her comfort
zone. “It’s always a challenge to shoot in public be-
cause their staring game is way too strong. Imagine
I was roaming around in the market with Halloween
face makeup and all eyes were on me. Also, shooting
in public transport and getting uncomfortable by
passengers gossiping is a problem. There have been
times when my parents were criticized about my
work but they believe in me. But, the biggest chal-
lenge was not being able to shoot due to studies. Be-
ing MIA on a creator’s profile felt heavy and that was
the first time I realized how even the audience is ea-
gerly waiting for more and that’s one of the reasons
to make me keep going.”
Viraj Kapoor @Viraj Kapoor

How do you deal
with such challenges?
Gunjan’s advice is to not wait to make it all perfect,
but just simply do it. “It sure looks easy but it’s hard
at times to think and come up with something new
but that’s what fun is, isn’t it? Now, I know what’s
working so it’s a little tough to sustain that level of
writing and maybe increase it with every post. So,
I’m working even harder to make it stronger and
more reliable”, she says. While Devika believes that
challenges can be handled if you’re patient and
have faith in yourself. “ My content creation journey
taught me a lot about patience, faith, and manifesta-
tion. One piece of advice I would give to my younger
self would be to not wait for the perfect time, start
creating, be you, and be consistent.”
Hard work does show!

“Initially when I would shoot for content, I used to
hide it from my father. I was so terrified of him scold-
ing me for all these things. But now as he has become
supportive of my work, he even gives ideas. He even
tells me ‘wahan acchi lighting hai wahan bana lo
video’. And, I feel so damn happy”, says Geetika with
a huge smile. Gunjan Saini @gunjan_sainii_
For Chaitali, it was the love that her friends and

others at college poured on her. “I became a content
creator during the lockdown. So, when my college
reopened, it was quite overwhelming when people
came to me and genuinely appreciated my work
which made me realize there are people actually ob-
serving the efforts rather than just liking and scroll-
ing next.”
One of the happiest incidents for Viraj was meeting

his fans. “I remember how this woman approached
me in a cafe, telling me how she was a fan. At that
time I had barely reached 4000 followers. So, one of
the first thoughts I had was like, “yeh mere saath bhi
ho sakta hai? wow hahaha”, he laughs.
Gunjan too was overwhelmed when a girl ap-

proached and told her she was a fan. “Once I’d gone
for an audition, and a girl asked if I was Gunjan Saini
who wrote “Kya main ved hu? I said yes, and then she
said I’m her favourite. I still remember her face since
this was the first time somebody had praised me like
that, and it was a wholesome feeling.”
Vidya also feels blessed when she meets her follow-

ers. “When I meet them out of nowhere and com-
pletely unplanned, I just love it. To be recognized by
people and being appreciated for my content gives
me immense joy.”
Shreyas Mendiratta @shreyasmendiratta

IT’S TIME TO
UNWIND
By Mishkaat Imrani
The hustle culture has made all of us a little more competitive along with glamorizing
being overworked. We’re all running towards goals and that’s fabulous but then we
get upset if we aren’t able to check all the boxes in our to-do lists. We’re constantly
thinking about schedules and pending tasks even when we’re not working. Working
hard and doing everything to achieve your goals is important but how we do it all
matters. If this is affecting your physical and mental health, then it’s time you unwind
a little and start taking breaks to keep your creative juices flowing.
In this breezy conversation, we talk to Sucharita Tyagi, Ronit Ranjan, Mariyam Saigal,
Arouba Kabir, and Shrima Rai about the importance of taking breaks, unwinding,
de-stressing, and much more.
Working hard VS
being a workaholic
It’s great if you love your work, but not that great if you
do it a little too much. An excess of anything is harmful
so when you become a workaholic, there are chances that
you aren’t taking enough breaks and all you want is to
complete your tasks. Also, if you fail or there’s any kind of
a delay, sometimes you even lose your cool. Fashion and
lifestyle blogger, Shrima Rai, thinks a workaholic lacks
balance. “Earlier perhaps I had phases of it but I think
you lack balance when you over work. I definitely need
balance between my personal life and work to keep my
passion alive.” Likewise, Arouba Kabir, a therapist and
counselor also believes that being a workaholic can lead
to instability. “I know my professional life is very import-
ant but so is my personal life, my family, and social life. I
choose to divide my day accordingly where I am able to
spend time with myself, my loved ones and work equal-
ly.”
Life coach, TEDx speaker, poet, and an ex-fauji, Ronit

Ranjan used to take pride earlier in calling himself a
workaholic, now he feels this term has been romanticized
a lot. “My understanding of this term changed overtime.
I have realized that we have this illusion of doing a lot
of work so that it makes us feel better that we’re actu-
ally doing something. But in most cases, we’re running
around circles working but not doing it in the direction
it needs to be done. This is why we try rationalizing by
telling ourselves that we’re working and end up roman-
ticizing this culture. I think it’s time we stop doing that.”
Feeling anxious about work is also okay as long as you’re

not caught up in it. For those who feel anxious about get-
ting their work done, ex-radio jockey, film critic, writer,
and VO artist, Sucharita Tyagi has a few things to share.
“If I spend too much without working I get stressed. So
whenever I’m on a vacation or when I take a break, it
takes me an entire day to come to terms with the fact that
I’m supposed to be unwinding. I’m not one of those peo-
ple who love working constantly but I do plan my calen-
dar one week in advance. This week itself, I went to Goa,
Sucharita Tyagi I @su4ita Delhi and then came back to Bombay. I had just one day
Film Critic, VO artist, Writer, and ex-Radio Jockey in my hand and so, I cancelled everything! I wasn’t doing
anything until 2 pm as my brain wasn’t working.”

you get into that race, you try to follow the culture around
you, and so you get lost. I’m really happy after I realized it
and since then, I have been taking breaks.”
When Shrima stopped enjoying her work, she also realized

that she would feel pressure to create content. So, feeling
pressurized, overwhelmed all the time along with not want-
ing to do it anymore are some red flags you should check for
in your work life.
How do you
unwind and de-stress?
The best part about taking breaks is it’s all about what you
like. If it’s sleeping that makes you feel great, do that. Do
you enjoy exploring new places? Then do that! “Whenever
your body tells you to take a break you take a break. When
you feel thirsty, it means you’re already dehydrated. It’s al-
ready past that moment when you should have consumed
water. Similarly, when your brain is making mistakes and
you can’t remember phone numbers then you’re already too
late”, says Sucharita. Ronit believes you enjoy resting when
you actually need it. “There’s no such thing as the right time
to take a break. With time, I have realized that it’s like a mar-
athon of sprints. You have to do a task. You put in all the josh
and effort. You do it, finish it, and then take some rest. After
that, you get back to task no. 2 and you do it all over again.”
A lambi chutti or
a quick short break?
Do you enjoy a long weekend packed with activities, ex-
ploring cities, photographs, food or a quick short break
Ronit Ranjan I @_ronitranjan_ like a power nap, reading your favourite book, or a day off?
“Sometimes a long break works best to reevaluate a whole
Life Coach, TEDx speaker, Poet, and Ex-Fauji list of things vs a short break that is a regular occurrence.
Both are required in the long run like an annual trip and
It’s okay to take breaks.

Let’s all agree that everybody is different. Our attention
span varies, we think differently, process differently, and
that’s why it’s completely alright if a task takes one a lit-
tle longer or you get tired early, and feel like taking a quick
break or nap while others are still working. You know your
body well so listening to it is your job! Tell yourself it’s okay
to take breaks. “I have this army background where you
don’t have the concept of rest. So after one point, I realized
that I wasn’t feeling the same level of motivation towards
my work. I had these erratic phases of not feeling like work-
ing anymore. So, when I felt that these episodes are increas-
ing, I put an effort into taking breaks from time to time.
Sometimes when we’re busy running towards something,
we forget why we’re running. Hence taking breaks is really
important”, says Ronit.
Mariyam Saigal is a wonderful spoken word poet and a law

student. She believes that taking breaks is extremely crucial.
“I’m bipolar so taking breaks is a must for me. Because when
I’m manic, I do 6 months’ worth of work in 3 months and
then I chill when depression takes over, so it’s important.”
It’s okay if you’ve been hard on yourself in the past. It’s also
okay if you have recently realized the importance of taking
breaks. Sucharita has been working since she was 17 and
she realized the importance of taking breaks when she
turned 30. “After a point you can’t continue to push your
body as much as you used to when you were 23. So going
to bed and waking up on time and exercising everyday are
some of the things that become more important than con-
stantly going forward.”
Similarly, there was also a time in Arouba’s life when she

would work for 14-18 hours. “I really used to work a lot
Mariyam Saigal I @mariyamsaigal
in my early 20’s which affected my physical and mental Spoken word poet
health. I never wanted to become a workaholic. But, when

Breaks can be
literally anything!
There are no rules when it comes to taking breaks. It’s you,
your body, and anything that calms the hurricane inside
you and prepares you for the next round. “I unwind by con-
suming art and discussing it. It helps me cope with a reality
I’ve been constantly fed but is full of lies. An ideal day would
be a trip to Blossoms, read books, watch documentaries and
go on a ride with my friends. Cook, clean and get my shit to-
gether”, says Mariyam. For Shrima it’s spending time with
family watching movies and heading to a spa. “It can be a
meal with friends, working out, reading and travelling.”
While Arouba finds her solace and calm in her doggos! “I

have two dogs who are my soulmates. I keep taking 10-15
minute breaks to be with them. I meditate, journal, and talk
to a friend or family member at least once a day. If I have
time, I go for a massage or a nice manicure or pedicure, and
if not, then do an oil champi for myself, maybe spend a lit-
tle more time in my exercise routine and eat something and
just be there”, says Arouba while talking about her ideal day
off.
For Ronit, it’s either catching up on sleep or going out and

getting some fresh air and good food. “Some days, my ideal
day off would be where I don’t need any human interaction
and sleep the entire day, eat good food and pamper myself.
Also going out and exploring the city and roam around a bit.
Being an extrovert, sometimes you think you have a lot of
people around but then you don’t have any. So, I have iden-
tified a couple of people whom I call my safety net, and chill
with them”, he further adds.
For Sucharita it’s a mix of everything. “Hours and hours of

mindless TV watching, like an old sitcom I’m watching for
the 5th time or a true crime documentary on Netflix or any-
thing that doesn’t require me to take notes and do a review
Arouba Kabir I @mentalhealthcareist of it later on. But, my ideal unwinding is laying on the couch
Mental Health Therapist/Counselor, Founder, Enso Wellness. and watching TV.”
short weekend breaks”, says Shrima. Mariyam, on the other

hand, feels that breaks should be regular, weekly and monthly
and sometimes even yearly. “However, that depends on privi-
lege but I take the help of my friends who are more privileged
and let them take care of me when I can’t take care of myself.
But yes, I think one should take short breaks in the day, and
long breaks when you’re coping with something tragic.”
Similarly, Sucharita also calls it a privilege! She feels taking

breaks is a massive privilege that not everybody has. “This
depends from person to person and their schedule. If your
finances, family situation permits you to take a long break,
go for it. If it permits only smaller breaks, then go for that.
But do try to schedule short breaks once every two months
or so. Also, take small breaks like watching a movie, painting,
cooking, or doing anything that de-stresses you. Maybe just
lay down and stare at your wall aimlessly.”
Ronit feels that it’s short breaks that work for him. “These are
better because when I’m working, I take a break in between,
get energized, and get back to it. Even if I’m working 6 to 8
hours a day, I’ll work for 2 and then chill for a bit and then
continue. Those quick 15 minutes really help me feel ener-
gized for the next seating.”
Arouba suggests many things. “Sometimes your personal life

needs more dedication and sometimes it can be your fami-
ly or work. So plan breaks for yourself. You can take breaks
with other people where you hang out, have fun, take a hol-
iday with your loved ones. But, at the same time, plan time
for yourself for your spiritual growth like a trip maybe or a
yoga retreat. Do some contribution like volunteer work in
some orphanages. It’s very important for us to keep growing Shrima Rai I @shrimarai
as individuals too.” Fashion and Lifestyle blogger

THINGS
TAUGHT ME!
2021 By Mishkaat Imrani
2021 was like a big roller coaster ride. Full of ups and downs!
There have been times when we didn’t know how to go
ahead and also times when we wanted to stop the clock and
stay in certain moments forever. But, then time flies and so
did 2021, a year that’ll always stay close to our hearts for
many reasons.
Mishkaat Imrani chats with creators to understand what the

year 2021 taught them and the impact it had.
SANGEETA PRAYAGA
Illustrator
@misscompasshands
My year started well before the second wave of COVID-19

shattered my spirits. I lost my grandma and a beloved uncle
to the virus. The fact that so many of my friends and fami-
KAJAL TYAGI ly members were seriously affected by the virus was heart-
breaking. I tried to put the loss behind me by spending my
Product Stylist/Content Creator energy on learning new skills. I learned how to connect with
people by talking about my life, my learnings, and my jour-
@kajal8212 ney from being a computer science engineer to an entrepre-
neur. The year also taught me that I should not be hard on
myself when I am unproductive and that it’s okay to not be
While the entire world was going through turmoil and that okay sometimes and is very important to take a break! Also,
has not left us untouched as well, I think the point is to look didn’t this year feel like it was both long and short at the
at positives and not just the negatives to moving on. For same time? Certainly, some months just flew by and I was
me, the biggest positive was the quality time I spent with left wondering what I did. So this year, I started taking some
the family. The year was full of preparing for the worst and time every few weeks on active reflection. I use this time
living for family and self. But, with so much going around, to organize my learnings, mistakes and celebrate my tiny
personally, it has been a great learning period for me to be achievements.
humane, humble, and give back to society what one can. On
the professional front, I took a cautious call to support local
businesses as much as I can and try sharing things that can
bring happiness and relaxation to one’s décor. One thing
from 2021 that I will take with me in 2022 would be Humili-
ty – Stay humble in whatever you do and support the people
in need whenever you can. I think these lessons are going to
stay with me even beyond 2022

SIDDHANT CHANDRA
Lawyer, Fashion Blogger
@sidstaring21
The best part about 2021 was that it made me

realize how life is so uncertain! From going out
and meeting our loved ones every day to being
on house arrest that too in the blink of an eye.
This made me realize the importance of doing
things with your whole heart as there’s no cer-
tainty about tomorrow. I also took some time
off from my fast-moving life to evaluate and re-
invent myself which made me realize my pas-
sion for fashion and content creation. There
are 3 specific things that 2021 taught me as a
human being and as a content creator.
To never lose hope. Be consistent and always

give your best to whatever you do in life, and
always be ready to explore, re-discover and
learn new things. I am already working on my-
self every day and one thing from 2021 that I
would like to take with me in 2022 is my atti-
tude towards my life. Now I take each day as
a new day. I celebrate each and every small
victory of mine and treat every failure with a
positive attitude. I put my heart and soul into
whatever I do.
PARIDHI JAIN
(THE STYLING STORIES)
fashion & lifestyle blogger &
YouTuber
@paridhijain01
I think transitioning from a lockdown phase

towards new normal experiences was the
highlight! It was difficult being confined to
four walls throughout the day. However, when
things started opening up, there were already
a lot of things to manage. Good thing was to
be able to create content with more creativ-
ity and consistency. 2021 has been crucial for
me. To be honest, it made me a better person
in terms of being more composed in thoughts.
Further, it taught me patience and how to
spend quality time with family that helped me
develop connections and build strong relation-
ships with my dear ones which I am going to
cherish forever. As a creator, this year was a
great opportunity for me to experiment with
different genres of content that helped me in
expanding my niche. It helped me play around
with my creativity. I am happy to be able to
create content with more enthusiasm, quality
and consistency. 2021 also inspired me to see
so many new creators joining the community
and giving me a chance to learn from them. I
have explored a lot this year and am happy to
be doing some things differently. I would high-
ly recommend and suggest people explore till
they find their niche as it’s completely okay :)

SHWETA SINGH
Doodle Artist | Illustrator
@doodleshoodle_
2021 has given me more strength and courage

to fight with my inner self-doubting demons
and at the same time opened new pathways
that lead me to my goals. Won’t say that 2021
had brought the worst phases but definitely
new learnings each time there was a setback.
As a human, I learned to be open to new learn-
ings, have faith, and take a leap towards a new
decision or new concepts. Unlearning and
learning were something I constantly dived
into through the year. As an artist, 2021 taught
me to be updated with the new ‘in’ thing on so-
cial media. Have become more tech-savvy than
I was before. As an artist, I am content with
self-growth in terms of knowledge, craft, and
also reaching my work to more people. But, I
wish I could be a little sounder when it comes
to printing my artworks. I feel there is a lack of
knowledge in that area. But, yes, my consisten-
cy and hunt for more knowledge is something I
would definitely like to take ahead in 2022.
CHANDNI MIMIC
Mimicry artist, Voice-Over
artist, VJ, Host, Law Student
@chandnimimic
I have realized many things in 2021. There

were many interviews that came my way. I
also hosted one of the panels for Zee 5’s ‘It’s a
Girl Thing India’. 2021 was great, but I think I
could have utilized it even more. But, then it
has been a learning process too. As a human, I
have learned that the best way to win an argu-
ment with a toxic person is to leave their prey
ground. I don’t have to argue and waste my
time and energy as it’s precious. Also, I think
vibe with yourself and don’t force a compa-
ny. I have also learned that change is the only
thing constant and we shouldn’t fear that. As
a content creator, I say to myself that please
be consistent Chandni. Make notes about
the content. Keep up with the trends and add
your own twist to them. However, there’s one
thing that I should have done but couldn’t do
because of my health is character wedding an-
choring. So, to everybody reading this I’d like
to tell them that I want to be a wedding host
because Daya Ben, Kangna Ranaut, and Alia
Bhatt are going to come to your wedding. And,
since I have stage fear, I really want to do this
at least once before the year ends. Also, grati-
tude is something that I’d like to take with me
in 2022. I want to be thankful and grateful for
each and every day and moment. I think it’s
also important to look back and reflect upon
form where you started and how it all began.

The Out of the Box Stars
Ourange Jyuce Gang - Saurabh, Karan and Neel get chatty
with Social Ketchup Ed, Mrinil Mathur Rajwani about cre-
ating content, trending on our feeds, how they turned 2021
the best year of their life, and plans for the future.
Stylist: @hemachoudharyy
Photographer: @sanjaydubeyphotography Clothing: @rarerabbit_in
Hair and Makeup: @makeupandhairbyprithviii Production agency: @qissastudios

Saurabh Ghadge, Karan Sonawane, and Neel - not
being aware of these amazing creators is so 2020.
Because they turned 2021 into THE Year for them.
From our social media feeds to hoardings in our city,
they have been leaving their mark everywhere with
their wit, laughter, and out-of-the-box yet relatable
content. With a dream to paint the sky, three of them
have tried everything under the sun to climb the lad-
der of success, but in their fluid juicy way of laughter
and honesty. They might come across as the guys
next door, but their success story is inspiring and
definitely worth a tale
These three with their Creator friends, Siddhant,

Saurabh, Shravan, and Shubham, or as their fans call
them the ‘Ourange Jyuce Gang’ have been making us
giggle every day through Reels and YouTube content.
The trio has also been unlocking achievements and
having many firsts Instagram featuring them on a
Hoarding under its ‘In the Making’ campaign, acting
in a web series, representing India’s leading brands,
and more.
As funny as they are in REEL life, they are equally hi-

larious and fun to hang out with in REAL life (don’t
be J!). During my time with three of them at the
shoot and the interview, we couldn’t stop laughing.
But it’s not all laughter and fun when you speak to
them. They might not drop in gyaan to go viral but
their drive & passion to work and achieve big in life
will do the needful. Their hunger for more and the
aim to touch the sky is what stayed with me the
most.
They are very much aware of the hard work and

sweat that went behind getting what they have
now and what hard work they will have to put
in and the sacrifices they will have to make
to be where they want to be. And as I write
this, the shoot day plays in my head, and
honestly, I can’t explain how fun and pro-
ductive it was for each and everyone there,
because the Ourange Jyuce Gang boys were
at work.
Enough of my rendezvous, here’s an inside

view from their journey of becoming ‘The
Out of the Box Stars’

Mrinil - How did it all start for you guys? In
which phase of your life you were when you
started creating content?
Karan - Individually, it was 2015 when I

started creating content, before that I was
doing theatre. In 2015 I started with YouTube,
did stand up for some time, and then later
joined Instagram. In between, I was also mak-
ing memes for another YouTube channel, and
now I started creating full-fledged content for
myself.
Saurabh - For me, it was an inspiration-driv-

en by looking at other creators like Bhuvan
Bam; I used to feel good and it would mo-
tivate me to do something similar, even in
school we used to have a lot of fun doing
these things, I always felt, I have that think-
ing capacity to make funny content, though
didn’t have the experience of acting. In 2016
I uploaded my first video. Initially, there was
no theme I used to put anything on the chan-
nel without giving much thought; and then
gradually I started developing interest and
became serious about it. That’s when I decid-
ed to make a career in this and try harder; it all
began in 2016 for me.
Neel - Before this I was into film-making,

was also working as a cinematographer
for 3-4 years, was working for two
years; then I met Karan, he had his
own YouTube channel, it was just to
help him with shooting his videos, I
joined him. I was already into film-
making before that. Then from the
second video, I started giving some
suggestions. Soon, I started acting
in those videos. That was the point
when I started content creation.
Eventually, it turned out well! I had
never focused on content creation
before that I never even thought
about it as a career. Karan and
I explored everything together.
We started from YouTube videos
to short videos, so that’s how it
all started.

Mrinil - When was the first time you guys realized that Saurabh - In July or August last year when the lock-
you or your group was famous? down was over, I went to pick some groceries in a near-
by area, and I met someone who recognized me, appre-
Karan - I don’t know about being famous, but in 2015, ciated my work, and took a selfie. It was all so new for
we tasted success when one of my videos with Neel went me. At that time I understood that people knew me. I
viral. People knew about us then, but they did not recog- had around 30/40 K followers on IG.
nise us. I guess it was from Jan 2021, when people start-
ed recognizing us and they knew that our video was vi- Karan - As Neel said, the experience of interacting with
ral. That’s when we tasted fame a bit. We made a music Divine or Vicky Kaushal, those were phenomenal and
video after which we started getting appreciation. But, an affirmation that we are on the right track. Because I
there’s no particular incident that I remember as such. know for sure many content creators who started before
us or are famous-famous, they are not quality content
Neel - We got appreciation from Divine, Vicky Kaushal, creators and people recognize us for our content, for
and worked with them. Everyone who met us, praised acting, for our edits, the small details we keep in mind
and recognized us as the gang. They look at us as the in our content. All this is assurance that people are rec-
gang only. They appreciate us, but they love the gang. ognizing and praising our work and we are doing some-
If they come across anyone’s profile, they automatically thing different. And make us feel proud about ourselves
check everyone’s profile. There have been instances that and make us work every day in this career path we have
when six of us featured in the same video, it has gar- created.
nered millions of views.

Mrinil - What’s in the name we had to pick a name, somehow we end- to know all of them and started tuning
- Ourange Jyuce Gang? ed up as Ourange Jyuce Gang. from the start. We understand each other’s
jokes and timing well. When Neel hit 100k
Saurabh - I made a video which was Mrinil - Most of your work is with your on Instagram we all met for the first time,
about ‘How rich people wake up v/s me’. gang. How did you guys come together? and after that, we started making content
I have observed in movies and shows they Your content also stands out because of with each other. So it’s not friends who
show rich people having Ourange Jyuce the interesting onscreen presence of each work together, we started working togeth-
for breakfast, or people serving them Ou- of you. Was it a professional decision to er and ended up becoming great friends.
range Jyuce. That hit me with a funny idea, work together or more out of friendship?
I made that video randomly and it was Neel - On 21st Jan 2021 for that 100K Mark,
just another video. In that video, the way I Karan - Till Jan 2021, Neel and I were cre- I wanted to meet and make a collaborated
said Ourange Jyuce, people picked that up ating content with each other because we dance video with all the creators, I appre-
and associated it with me. So, all my new stay closer to each other. Later in Jan 2021, ciate and interact online and also celebrate
followers know about Ourange Jyuce irre- I recognized Siddhant, Saurabh, Shravan, the mark. We hit it off well, all of us met
spective of the context. Our group didn’t Shubham who were creating good con- frequently and created more collaborated
have a name like others, and everyone tent. Neel and I were always on the look- videos and soon we became a gang. Now,
around us suggested we have one, so when out and exploring talent, and then we got we don’t have to explain much.

Mrinil - How is working with friends? someone’s work, we will appreciate it. We All of us are keener in creating content and
Because you guys work in a similar zone, haven’t discussed all that with each oth- working in each other’s videos is our way
do you find road crossing? er, because forming a group was also not to show our support for the fellow creator.
discussed in the first place. We all work
Neel - There is no question about compe- together because we understand and ap- Karan - I feel there should not be a com-
tition. I know that the number of follow- preciate each other’s work. petition between creators. As an example,
ers is not going to make a difference. So we might cross Divine in followers one
tomorrow if I have more followers than One thing we also do is that, if someone day, but we won’t be able to beat him in
Saurabh or Karan, I am not going to get an has an idea and the rest think that the idea his talent. There is no comparison there.
award for that. Everything depends on the is not good or as societal responsibility we We will always be his fan-boys. In our
hard work I put into my content. should not put this kind of content, we group also, we all have our unique iden-
convince that person to not go ahead with tity and because of that people will recog-
But yes, as far as we are talking about sup- it and explain the impact of it. nize and we will not crossroads. The only
porting each other, that we do. And that fight we have is to show to work on time
comes naturally to us and there is no pres- and nothing else :P
sure to show that to each other. If we like

Mrinil - How does it actually work when choices like if I need a female character, The second thing is his acting and the
someone has an idea? Or is everyone in I would prefer Saurabh, for any generic third is his editing. The choice of music
charge of specific tasks? What happens video we can switch to anyone based on in his reels, the way that particular music
when you guys have a similar idea, or their availability. is placed, perfect timing, he puts a lot of
there is a matter of conflict because you elements and time into editing his vid-
are all more or less in the same zone? Mrinil - What is something that dif- eos, and therefore his reels are thought-
ferentiates your content? Even better if fully edited. The perfection element in
Saurabh - There is nothing like that. Saurabh can tell about Neel, Neel about his reels work very well, he is very fo-
Since all of us are individual content cre- Karan, and Karan about Saurabh. cused(Indian) which is what I love about
ators, we only try to shoot and edit our his reels.
videos. If there is an idea and I know who Saurabh - What differentiates Neel’s
should I cast in it, I will approach that content is the Marathi touch that he adds Karan - Saurabh plays the girl’s character
person, if they are free they will join me to it. There are very few Marathi content very perfectly! I cast him only for all the
and if not, I will look for someone else creators and out of that too there are a female characters in my videos, because
from the gang to help me with that idea. handful of good Marathi creators. And I know if he is playing that character, the
And if we need help in shooting, we ask that’s what connects with his audience. video will perform well. He has a poker
for whoever is available, because every- So when a Marathi consumes his con- face, but in that too, he is so much fun
one knows everything right from ide- tent, the regional touch they get, inter- to watch playing that role, his nuances
ation to editing, ests them more and his audience likes like laughing and all really work for him,
him for that and makes his content way which is unique for him. It is relatable
Neel- The thumb rule, whoever has the too relatable for everyone. no doubt. People think that his height is
idea, is the director of that video and oth- short so he cannot do many characters
ers follow it, or give suggestions if they Neel - Firstly, each and every content but I feel that his height is perfect for him
have any. The final call is of that person. piece Karan creates is highly relatable, like when he wants to play a girl’s charac-
which we can share, to an extent that I ter, or a macho person, and all that works
Karan - When we want a particular end up sharing everything he posts. The very well for him. I love those things. The
characteristic then of course we have our shareability of his content is too good. pieces that he makes are very funny.

“
Acting was and
is my end goal,
“
whatever is
happening is not
enough, the sky’s
the limit for me. There is no end
goal from content
-Saurabh
“
creation, there are
many goals, we are
just kicking the ball
and luckily goals
Never set an end are happening.
goal, I want to do
a lot of things and -Karan
content creation
lets me do that.
The only goal is to
make content when
I am old too.
-Neel

Mrinil - What future do you see for yourself and the
gang in terms of a content creator?
Karan - As a group, the only thing that is keeping us

together is the unity that we have and the relatable
stuff that we have like showing up late or having fun
at work. Apart from that, the work ethics we have,
showing up for each other whenever required, cre-
ating collaborative content, that’s what we aim to
continue. And thankfully, all of us are getting good
opportunities across content creation and other like-
wise industries. And I hope that continues. The best
thing is that we are a group and a bunch of individu-
al content creators and we all are thriving for oppor-
tunities. One thing I want is all of us to be cast in a
movie together or make one on us!
Saurabh - I want to have a YouTube Channel for Ou-

range Jyuce Gang! Not immediately, but hopefully in
the future.

Mrinil - How will you sum up your year 2021?
How are you prepared for next year?
Neel - For me, I thought 2020 was the best year

because that’s when I hit 10k on Instagram, I
left my job but was doing good, I started vlog-
ging again. But then in 2021, so many amaz-
ing things happened that now I feel 2021 was
the best year of my life and I hope that every
year I feel that this was the best year of my life
and that’s why I am fingers crossed for 2022.
In 2021, we saw growth in terms of followers,
work, money, exposure. I worked with Sachin
Tendulkar, was on the hoarding for Instagram,
did several campaigns, had my first interna-
tional trip, I am on your cover :P so a lot of firsts
happened to the three of us this year. It was a
surprise package and I didn’t realize it’s ending
so soon.
Karan - As Neel, said 2020 was the start of our

career, 2021 was great and for 2022 we already
have bigger and better things in the pipeline.
But yes one thing to assure, we are going to
follow the quality of consistency and of course
consistency with quality. That we won’t ever
mess with, people have high expectations from
us and they look up to us and that we have to
maintain and we are very working towards it.
Saurabh - 2020 was a game-changing year for

us, the growth that happened that time is the
cause that we are able to grow and bear fruits
in 2021. It was a nice year because several mile-
stones we didn’t plan happened for us. So yes it
was a game-changer.

Mrinil - Do you self-police while creating con- after that phase, I never thought I would see a
tent? Do you have some rules for yourself, or phase where so many people will appreciate
how do you draw a line while creating come- the content that I put. The dream I had to act
dy? What is your mantra? in a show or film came true with the web series
and secondly as Neel said money! I am just 22
Karan - Of Course! Especially now. Earlier we so at this age if I am earning a good amount of
used to make content on anything and every- money it makes me feel so happy and proud. Be-
thing, but now we self-police our content. We cause I was right outside my graduation college,
bounce off ideas within the group and gaze if was dependent on my parents, living on pocket
the audience is ready for this kind of content money and now I am earning this much, con-
or not. We are self - aware and we are always tributing to the family, getting my house reno-
prompt to warn others in the gang. Sometimes vated, all this is a completely different feeling.
after this also, the audience takes it to a differ-
ent zone and we fail to understand why people Mrinil - Do you have any end goal from Con-
can’t see it as a pure harmless joke. We think be- tent Creation?
fore posting, we have a responsibility on us, but
where we are right, we don’t budge. Karan - There is no end goal from content cre-
ation, there are many goals, we are just kick-
Mrinil - What dreams did the Content Creation ing the ball and luckily goals are happening.
career fulfill for you? Personally, I am waiting to work with Sharukh
Khan Sir.
Karan - For me, I always wanted to enter into
films, and hoping that to come true soon cour- Saurabh - Acting was and is my end goal, what-
tesy of the career I am in right now. Film frater- ever is happening is not enough, the sky’s the
nity, celebrities recognizing me is a huge thing, limit for me.
appreciating my talent and my acting.
Neel - Never set an end goal, I want to do a lot of
Neel - Many dreams came true with content things and content creation lets me do that. The
creation, but the biggest one is the money that only goal is to make content when I am old too.
I got with it. The ability to take responsibility
for my parents, to share in family expenses, to Karan - We know we are very privileged that
make their dreams come true. All this while, I we are living this life. We have been through
was dependent on them because I was not do- different jobs and we know how hard it is out
ing that good financially. Though they never there, and very few people get to do what we
asked me to contribute, it was my dream to do are doing. There are downfalls for every content
that and now for 1.5 years, I am able to do that. creator but you have to fight back.
And that makes me happy! And the best part is I
am able to do what I love and still get paid for it. Neel - We are also privileged that we are part of
a group and we are creating content collectively.
Saurabh - I gave a lot of auditions in the past, I So even if I am in a phase of my career where
used to go for random auditions and get reject- I am not getting good content ideas, I can at
ed. I used to go to Versova, Andheri every day least act in others’ videos and stay relevant. And
for auditions and faced so many rejections. But helps in overcoming the creative block.

Mrinil - What was the hardest thing that you content during that time because of several
had to do in 2021 and What is the best thing reasons. And as a creator, who loves creating
that happened to you in 2021? content, not being able to do that was the
hardest thing this year. Fortunately & unfortu-
Karan - The best thing that happened was Di- nately, during the second wave, all of us were
vine recognized us, he knows us by our name. at home and I got a chance to create ample
I am a huge fan, he is my idol, and meeting content and saw exponential growth during
him and knowing him that closely is a dream that time.
come true for me and I am sure it is for Neel
and Saurabh too. The hardest thing is that in Neel - The hardest time for me was in March
this course, I am not able to spend time with when I was alone in Pune. I had gone there to
my family. I don’t remember when was the last make a web series but then the web series also
time I sat with my Dad chilled without rushing got over then I started feeling low as there was
for the next thing. But now I am a little selfish nothing else to do. Then I came here and was
towards myself because I craved this life and I in a creative block zone where I wasn’t able to
am doing all that I can to have it. create content. And I felt a stunt. Since I missed
consistency, I was in a zone where I couldn’t
Saurabh - The hardest thing for me that hap- find anything worth creating content. The best
pened was, I had a phase when I was shooting time for me was Billboard which was a very big
for the web series and I wasn’t able to create achievement for me and all of us here.

Mrinil - If you have to give an award accep- ed me in different ways, and thus all of them
tance speech, what will it be? Who are you deserved to be thanked and appreciated. And
going to thank? after that, I am to be thanked for the career/
award.
Karan - In the future, if I get an Oscar for act-
ing, I just want to go on the stage and end my Mrinil - And If you have to title your biogra-
speech with “Jai Maharashtra”. There are many phy, what will it be?
people to thank, but I will be thankful to my-
self for being patient, working very hard, and Neel - My social media handle should be the
sticking to what I am doing. Because there title - Just Neel Things
were moments in the past I felt, this is not hap- Saurabh - Nonsense Biography
pening and I should quit. Karan - Believe in Magic
Neel - I think Karan said it very well. Because Mrinil - What are your plans for 2022?
in content creation you talk a lot and others
can just support you from outside. This field is Karan - Plans are already in process, big things
dependent on mood so it is very important to are in place. Just aiming for Sharukh Khan in
keep yourself happy, not overthink, every day 2022. And if Manchester United Managers are
think out of the box and for all those reasons, reading this, please connect with me in 2022.
I would like to thank myself. And then would That’s the biggest dream for 2022.
be my friends and family who support me con-
stantly, who are part of this journey, because Saurabh - Career-wise there are a few plans in
we can be selfish at times. the pipeline that should be the biggest plan for
2022, but fingers crossed that there are more.
Saurabh - People to thank are through phases And personally, I want to have an International
in life. At every phase, there was someone who Holiday!
supported us. When I started and had nothing,
friends were there, they supported me in a lot Neel - My biggest plan for 2022 is to get mar-
of ways only because they were my friends. ried, after that she is only going to plan my life
Mom-Dad supported me when I was low and JK! 2021 was a surprise, and I am waiting for
was confused about my career, they showed bigger surprises in 2022. Not hoping for any-
patience and hope. Different people support- thing and getting everything is what I aim for!

WHAT’S GOT
‘EM HOOKED
THROUGH
THE YEAR?
by Sakshi Sharma
2021 is bidding us goodbye and it all feels like it
flew away too soon. While there might be a bil-
lion reasons to feel this way, one of the biggest
reasons was OTT platforms. These platforms
Amit Bitto Dey
have become an integral part of our daily rou- @beardwali
tine. We hop on from one film to another series
to something else entirely. But then in the midst
of all the ever refreshing content available, there Talking about the Spanish show ‘Elite’, it’s a must-watch in 2021.
are some that just hit just too close to home and I didn’t want to watch it at first because of the discriminatory title
stay with us throughout. We all have that one or but I am so glad I did. Every single detail about Elite is well written,
two go-to movies/shows that we watch numer- literally every single thing! The casting list is superb and this series
ous times during the year and so do our favorite goes beyond with its extraordinary love story including threesome
creators. fantasy and same-sex relationships. My reasons for watching this
gem, again and again, are because of its thrilling direction pattern,
bonds of friendship, trust, love beyond crime, and of course, class.
We talked to Aryaki Joon, Riya Gogoi, Amit If I get a chance to be in the gang of Elite, I would definitely like to
Bitto Dey, and Rhea Kapahi about their favor- be Omar, because at the end of the day I would like to go back to
ite content that kept them ‘em hooked during my love leaving everything behind. I hope they will come up with
this entire year! another season soon!
Rhea Kapahi
@rheakapahi
I am a huge Marvel fan and I’m a huge One

Direction fan, so my favorite movie this year
would definitely be The Eternals mainly be-
cause of the post-credit scene and the overall
story. The number of times that I went to the
theatre to watch it is actually insane and not
only hurt my eyes but also my pocket because
I had to pay for the ticket more than twice. The
overall plot of it and the new characters intro-
duced included so much more diversity than
ever before in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The movie really left me surprised and made
me look forward to what’s next especially after
the post-credit scenes! If you haven’t watched
it, what the hell are you doing? A true marvel
fan always waits till the end to not miss out on
anything important! Also, watch out for the ref-
erences made within the movie on DC! I think
this is one of the first times that they’ve ever
made them. Apart from this, Shang-Chi would
also be on my top list!!

Aryaki Joon
@aryakijoon
I absolutely love binge-watching shows

and watching YouTube analysis on them
later, my favorite things to do by myself.
Although I binge-watched shows from
quite different genres this year like Bo-
jack Horseman, Superstore, Maid,
Demon Slayer, and Jujutsu Kaisen.
But I kept going back to Normal People,
which has definitely changed me and be-
come a part of who I am. Also from all the
Marvel releases this year, Loki will have
to be my favorite. The cast, the plot, the
cinematography was just top-notch and
a dream come true for my 15-year-old Lo-
ki-fanatic-self!
Riya Gogoi
@_riyagogoi_
The first show on the list is a very basic

choice. But it’s basic for a reason. It’s the
most popular show of 2021: Squid Game.
The cast, costumes, set design, story, every-
thing about this show is phenomenal. Dif-
ferent layers of human behavior have been
beautifully tackled and communicated in
this show. My next favorite is a documen-
tary called House of Secrets. It’s a deep dive
into the Burari case. I liked how it high-
lighted the fact that negligence of mental
health issues can lead to disastrous results.
My third favorite show of 2021 that’s been
one of my favorites for a few years now
is YOU. After watching the first season, I
thought it couldn’t get any better. But the
creators have proved me wrong time and
again. YOU is a show that’s kept getting
better with each season. I can’t wait for sea-
son 4 to come out already!

THROUGH
THE LENS
By Sakshi Sharma
2021 was a rollercoaster that left us unsettled

and restless about what the new normal was go-
ing to look like. It had its ups and downs and while
we’re bidding goodbye to this year and welcom-
ing 2022, let’s look back at the year with pictures
from Sammya Brata Mullick and Ujwal Puri

SAMMYA
BRATA
MULLICK
@deckle_edge
2021 has been quite erratic for me especial-
ly because we started traveling again after
a while and we were confined yet again
because of the second wave of COVID-19.
However, as they say, if you have limited
opportunities, you tend to utilize them to
the fullest. Be it travel or festivities, the re-
strictions were quite prominent across the
spectrum, hence the photographs I shot
in between, were quite special. As street
photographers, we could not move closer
to the subject because of social distanc-
ing norms and so we used prime lenses
to freeze these moments. These moments
were marked with empathy and compas-
sion in these testing times.
Location: Calcutta.

UJWAL
PURI
@ompsyram
2021 in photos shot by me. I shot at
various locations this year hailing
from Srinagar, Kashmir to Amrit-
sar, Punjab to Haridwar, Uttara-
khand to Mumbai, Maharashtra.
All in all, my photographs cover
various kinds of weather in these
particular locations.
Marine Drive, Mumbai
The Golden Temple, Amritsar Mumbai
Frozen Dal Lake Haridwar, Uttarakhand

CREATOR’S By Molshree
CORNER
2021 was an experimental year in the con-
tent creation world where creators not
only tried to cope with COVID-19 and its
aftermath but they also worked on mold-
ing their content to fit in with everything
happening around us. Once the second
What’s in store in 2022? wave passed original content was back on
social media, opening up a lot of oppor-
tunities for these creators once again. As
2022 is just around the corner, Indian cre-
ators have geared up for giving their best
to keep their audience engaged. Molshree
talks to a few of them about everything
they have in store for 2022!
AADAR
MALIK
@theaadarguy
Stand-up comedian and musician, Aadar Ma-

lik is super excited for 2022 as he’s working on
a lot of projects including web series, YouTube
and Amazon Prime’s come series ‘Comicstaan’.
“I’m really excited for the new season and the
new batch of comics that are coming through,”
Aadar is about to shoot the finale soon and will
also be regular on Instagram since he’s got a
team to help him out with the post-production
work of the content. “With time, I have also fig-
ured out the mechanism of Reels and IGTV fea-
tures of Instagram so now, I know what to put
where and I’m looking forward to working on
it.”
Moreover, the actor is also focused on getting

back on the stage, which was hampered due to
COVID-19 protocols. “I’m hoping to work back-
to-back if I have the opportunity to be out and
about again. While taking care of the safety of
the audience, I also hope to keep myself as busy
as possible and pick up opportunities for get-
ting back on the stage in the coming year.”

DR. FALGUNI
VASAVADA
@falgunivasavada
Professor of Marketing and fashion blog- NEELAKSHI

SINGH
ger, Dr. Falguni Vasavada has always been
talking about ‘body positivity’ and ‘women
empowerment’ through her content. For
2022, she’s decided to bring in the content @plumptopretty
on newer topics that need the attention
and questioning by the audience. “I will be
focusing on the style to present the content Neelakshi creates content on body pos-
which will be with a dash of humour, sar- itivity and she’s all set to focus on her
casm, sly or whatever mix is needed.” She physical health. She’s aiming to actively
believes that there’s no limit to making involve herself in Zumba. While she will
content around body shaming, body posi- continue making content around body
tivity, gender equity and equality and she positivity, she has decided to be more vo-
will be focusing on each of them. cal about sexual health. “I’m planning to
weave content around sexual awareness
Talking about the resolutions for the new and very soon, I shall be up with some-
year, Dr. Vasavada says that she doesn’t be- thing revolving around lingerie.”
lieve in taking one as one should live each
day to the fullest. “We must make maxi- Apart from this, her plans for 2022 also
mum use of the opportunities and resourc- include coming out more confidently in
es available in the given circumstances. Ev- front of the world with her working-out
ery day for me is a new day with a hope of videos. Neelakshi mentions, “I used to be
rising above the debris of judgements, bias, very afraid of putting out videos related to
stereotypes, guilt and mental blocks.” exercise or wearing activewear. However,
I have decided to post more such videos
for the audience aiming to remove the
stigma around it.”
WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.IN SOCIAL KETCHUP SEPT 2021 40

ANINDITA
ROY
@theplusgirl
‘theplusgirl’ on Instagram, Anindita has

been making content around body pos- TANVI GEETHA
itivity and fashion for a long time. How-
ever, she wants to focus on fashion as her
genre in the coming times. “I have always
RAVISHANKAR
been called a plus-size fashion influenc- @thechubbytwirler
er. But, I just want to be called a fashion
influencer by people for whom I will be
working on my fashion-related content.” A fashion and lifestyle influencer, Tanvi
says that most of 2020 and 2021 went in
Anindita also says that she will be explor- participating in fun trends and challeng-
ing fashion trends to bring a change in the es on Reels. For her upcoming plans, she
industry. After the sudden demise of her says, “My agenda is to create more long-
mother in 2021, Anindita was on a break form, original content.” She’s also deter-
from work but now that she’s back, she mined to focus on her Youtube channel in
aims to take up all the opportunities com- 2022.
ing her way.
Alongside, Tanvi also has her new-year
resolution set in her mind. She wants to
practice being more patient in life. “My
resolution for 2022 would be to follow a
routine to meditate and workout.”

NUPUR
MUNOT
@nupurmunot
NICOLE
Aiming to focus on the present rather than
the future, fashion and lifestyle creator
Nupur, aims to get back to her style that
CONCESSAO she lost because of brand collaborations.
“I had to let go of my own style because
@nicoleconcessao of brand collaborations in the past six
years. Even though such collaborations
are important for me, I have decided to
Being a dancer and choreographer, Nicole focus more on the audience and retain my
has always been creating and sharing her style.”
videos which will continue even in the fu-
ture. However, she also has other plans for Nupur has also thought of shifting to-
the coming year. In her words, “I do enjoy wards sustainable fashion. “I would soon
travel, food and lifestyle-based content be working on maximising the usage of a
pieces as well which will be something to fabric or outfit in day-to-day life.” Not just
look forward to in the future.” this but she also wants to interact with her
audience in real-time as much as possible.
Nicole has also made up her mind to create “The major plan is to make a community
content with passion, spend more time tak- where people can ask questions regarding
ing care of her health and share work that styling and fashion.”
makes her and people smile. “I have also
thought of not overthinking about creating
or posting a content piece.”

FROM
THE BED
TO THE
STREETS:
FASHION
2021
A fter spending a year in our lounge wear, peo-

ple finally had the chance to have something
close to normal this year. Restrictions were
lifted and people started to walk on the streets, going to
college or work which gave them new reasons to ditch
their pajamas for their OOTD! We went from donning
body con dresses to enjoying baggy clothes. Not to for-
get all the tie-dye t-shirts, scarfs, and even shoes that
took over half of our closets. It was also the year for men
wearing pearl necklaces and black chipped nails. While
these new trends took over we also saw reverse cat eye
makeup making a comeback. Although masks contin-
ue to be an integral part of our outfits, there were some
fashion experiments that worked and failed this year.
So we spoke to fashion influencers, Viraj Desai and

Garima Biyani about fashion trends that worked and
failed in 2021.

How did your
style evolve in 2021?
Viraj started experimenting with his

style. “I worked with different colour
combinations and different styles.”
Whereas for Garima Biyani, style is
ever evolving. “I think I found my style
this year.”
The one thing that excited Garima the

most about fashion this year was the
exciting collaboration that happened
in the International fashion industry.
She was particularly excited for the
Gucci x Balenciaga collaboration. But
for Viraj, the excitement was more to-
wards homegrown streetwear brands
that added to the changing scenario
of Indian fashion. He himself collabo-
rated with a few who are changing the
streetwear fashion game in India.
@garimabiyani
Fashion trends and

styling tips from 2021:
For Viraj, Y2k fashion is all about bag-
gy pants and vibrant printed oversized
apparel. It got him hooked this year
and he would definitely love to keep
styling himself like that!
Garima, on the other hand, thinks that

one should wear what they want and
not care about trends.
@virajdesaii
Top essentials
that always complete
your look:
“A few rings, an oversized overshirt,
and a tote bag completes my look
on a daily basis”, says Viraj. While
Garima says, “Accessories play the
biggest part.”
OUTDATED
TREND
that should retire in 2022
Skinny/ ripped jeans 2022 trend predictions:

Floral beach shirts Viraj Desai thinks upcycled clothes aka
making a new outfit out of your old appar-
Tie dye prints el in your wardrobe will work. For Garima,
it’s oversized anything and everything.
Animal Prints

BEAUTY
TRENDS THAT
TOOK OVER 2021
Within the chaos that we call 2020, we had the opportunity of creating a whole new skincare routine
with tips on which products would suit our skin the most given how we spent nearly the entire year being
cooped up indoors. While most of our beauty products were back in that box, we did put on the occasional
red lip for that Zoom meeting or a virtual birthday party.
2021, on the other hand, has been filled with ups and downs for a lot of us owing to the second wave of the
pandemic. And came a full circle when it comes to beauty and skincare. It saw people embracing their skin
and really looking after it, instead of putting on layers of concealer and colour correctors to hide those
dark circles and acne marks. To understand beauty trends in 2021 better, Arushi Dusaj spoke to some
beauty bloggers who give their valuable insights on which beauty trends rocked this year and completely
topped the charts. And here’s what they had to say!
LIPAKSHI
@lipakshikocharofficial
“Being comfortable in our own skin is a

good way to show the world that you’re
accepting yourselves the way you are.
Apart from these, ombre lips ie. dark-
er colour in the outer corner and gloss
have made a comeback so big that most
brands are launching their own custom-
ised glosses since the demand for them in
the market has increased tremendously.
People are experimenting with colours.
The graphic liner for one totally tops the
charts when it comes to beauty. People
also weren’t big on skin care before. Us-
ing the best products to keep your skin
glowing has been on everyone’s list ever
since the pandemic.”

VARUNI
GUPTA
@varuniguptaaa
“The global beauty industry has been experimen-

tal throughout the years, it’s been very volatile,
trends keep on changing while there are some old
classics that keep lingering on like the red lipstick
look. In 2021, minimalism or skinimilism worked
in my opinion. The basic concept of skinimilism
is all about loving your skin the way it looks and
not hiding it behind layers of products. The next
beauty trend that tops the charts is achieving a
no make-up look and using minimum products to
achieve a flawless and glowy look. Since we were
covered in masks this year, popping eyes were also
trending using neutral shades, winged eyeliner or
pastel shades on eyelids or even shimmers of dif-
ferent colours, This is one more way of standing
out in the crowd. Curtain bangs as a trend went so
viral, they look good on literally every face type and
make the face look elongated, they give a very nice
edge to your face and apart from that, it’s the best
hairstyle for someone who’s trying to cover their
hairline.”
MANISHA
KAUR
@slay_it_forever
“Natural looking eyebrows did it for

me, which is nothing but perfectly done
brows and keeping them as natural as
they can be. Also dewy glass skin, a sun
kissed blush look all over the cheeks and
nose, soft cat eyes using brown eyeshad-
ow and last but not least, faux freckles,
ie. adding a little dot here and there along
the bridge of the nose also adds a little ex-
tra feature to your face.”

In conversation
with KHUSHBOO
SETHI By Shachi Lavingia
@boodledoodle aka Khushboo Sethi is a 24 year old illustrator and designer

who works on beautiful save the dates with the finest detailing. We asked
her a few questions surrounding 2021 and her journey, and here’s what she
had to say!
Shachi Lavingia: Can you de-

scribe 2021 in one sentence?
Khushboo Sethi: It’s been a year
of growth , success and happiness
for me.
SL: 3 things this year brought in

your work life.
KS: So this year definitely made me
a lot more hardworking, passion-
ate about my goals and brought
growth in my work life
SL: How did 2021 challenge you?

KS: It challenged me to be a better
person everyday!
SL: What are you most thankful

for this year?
KS: I’m thankful for the opportu-
nities that have been given to me
with patience and unconditional
love. The ability to run my business
successfully, and not contracting
COVID-19. 2021 taught me about
forgiveness, freedom and love.
SL: If 2021 was a person, would

you be friends with them?
KS: Yes, definitely!
@boodledoodle

In conversation
with HARSHITA
BHANSALI
By Shachi Lavingia
Harshita is a mental health advocate who’s worked with multiple mental health
organizations to educate herself and grow in this space. The Turning Point is her
initiative to spread more awareness and provide a safe space for everyone. We spoke
to her about the year that was in a candid interview!
Shachi Lavingia: Can you describe 2021 in

one sentence?
Harshita Bhansali: It was like opening a cook-
ie box and actually finding cookies and not a
sewing kit.
SL: 3 things this year brought in your work

life.
HB: Incredible work opportunities: I have
worked with people, organizations and proj-
ects this year that I could have only dreamed of.
Insecurities: It’s natural to feel insecure about

whether or not you’re good enough because
of the amount of people creating content and
such good content today.
Courage to try new things: After seeing what

2020 was like, I wondered how bad it could
be. Could the outcome be worse than 2020?
I didn’t think so and as you can tell, it’s also
brought a lot of sarcasm!

HB: 2021 had a lot of firsts for me. There were
so many opportunities, situations, choices that
pushed me to step out of my comfort zone, a
feeling I don’t necessarily love so much, but
looking back at how much progress and growth
I experienced, I’m super grateful!
SL: What are you most thankful for this year?

HB: I’m most thankful for my therapist, she
brings perspective to my life, helps me stay
sane, helps me work on becoming the person
I want to be!
SL: If 2021 was a person, would you be friends

with them?
HB: Definitely, I think I’d be best friends with
them.
@the.turningpoint

In conversation
with CHARU
PATEL
By Shachi Lavingia
An ex-microbiology lecturer, Charu is a lettering artist and snail mailer today. She enjoys
traveling, photography and writing postcards. She’s currently setting up her art business and
curating handmade gifts. We spoke to her about how this year has been for her!
Shachi Lavingia: Can you describe 2021 in one sentence?

Charu Patel: It’s been both sorrowful and content.
SL: 3 things this year brought in your work life.

CP: Opportunities - I’m an amatuer artist and I have worked
on only a few commission projects until now. This year, I de-
cided to sell my original art for the first time and started with
customized canvas paintings.
Courage: At the end of the year, I made hand painted wood-

en Christmas ornaments and all of them sold out in one day.
These two experiences gave me confidence and taught me
how to value my art.
Community: Thanks to my art, I connected with new people

and few of them became very good friends with me. They
supported my work and motivated me and my work connect-
ed me to a kind and loving community.

CP: In April, my parents contracted COVID-19. They live
in Surat and I’m living in Mumbai. Due to the lockdown, I
couldn’t be with them at the time and those 10 days were the
most challenging for me. I felt helpless because I couldn’t be
with them and for the first time, I felt the fear of losing my
parents. A few days later, I lost my uncle to COVID-19. This
time was tough for me as I experienced anxiety and panic at-
tacks for a month. With the help of my family and friends, I
processed that grief and got better with time.

CP: My parents were in critical condition and I’m thankful
that they have recovered completely and are living a good life,
once again. In 2021, I traveled to a couple of states in India
and a few mini outings. During those trips, I’m grateful to be
surrounded by nature and experience the amazing mountain
view. These trips rejuvenated me and helped me overcome
my grief. I’m always thankful for a supportive life partner. He
encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone.
SL: If 2021 was a person, would you be friends with them?

CP: Yes, because within a year, I experienced so many ups and
downs. I had joyous moments and heartaches. I learned to be
in the moment and focus on the now rather than overthink
things. I learned a lot about myself this year and I evolved too.
I will cherish 2021 like a friend.
@lettersbycharu

In conversation
with ARUN
SINGH
By Shachi Lavingia
Arun is that uncle in the park who is also a media professional and a digital content creator.
He juggles between bringing serious news to people and being goofy on his Instagram.
TV studio and social media are his natural habitat and his favorite activity is breaking
down complex topics in an easily understandable way to people. We spoke to him about
everything 2021 brought with it!
Shachi Lavingia: Can you describe 2021 in one

sentence?
Arun Singh: I’d describe it in one word - “chaa-
ta”. It was such a slap on our faces that no matter
how much you plan, God has a separate route for
you and you have to take that. And that’s such a
big learning experience for people like me who
are control freaks and can’t stop planning things
to the T.
SL: 3 things this year brought in your work life.

AS: Followers: I’ve always been a content creator.
I started my career in 2010 as a Radio Jockey and
a bunch of other gigs after that, all of which I
see as content creation. I really began my digi-
tal content creation journey in 2015. But I’ve re-
ceived major recognition this year.
Clarity: I was doing almost all kinds of content

but now I know what I want to do, which is fun-
ny and humor based content as well as news ex-
plainers.
Chaos: Organized chaos is very much required

in a creative person’s life because there’s just so
much to do at all times.

AS: I’m a really happy person who is usually in a
fun and frolic mood. But when we were battling
COVID-19, it was hard to feel this way. So that
was the biggest challenge.

AS: I’m thankful that I’m alive this year and I
have my loved ones around me. That’s what
COVID-19 has taught us, to be thankful for every
single breath you’re taking.
SL: If 2021 was a person, would you be friends

with them?
AS: I would definitely be friends with 2021, be-
cause you need that friend who will slap you
when need be, to give you a reality check.
@thejhumroo

In conversation
with SKYE
GRIFFIN
By Shachi Lavingia
Skye is a witchy, neurodivergent queer artist who grew up in Mumbai. All their
life they’ve hopped from one form of art to another, finding a little bit of home
in each of them. If you need them, they’ll be humming to their plants while
simultaneously ignoring their unread book list and yearning for the rain. We
spoke to them about how they feel about 2021 and the year it’s been!
Shachi Lavingia: Can you describe 2021

in one sentence?
Skye Griffin: A blindfolded upside-down
roller coaster.
SL: 3 things this year brought in your

work life.
SG: Progress, Balance, Boundaries.

SG: 2021 didn’t let me make excuses. It
looked at me and said, “Okay, that’s it.”
There were a lot of tough emotions I had
to navigate my way through and 2021 re-
fused to let me avoid it. It helped me get
through the rubbish life threw at me.
SL: What are you most thankful for this

year?
SG: My family - blood and chosen. They’ve
been there for me through everything, and
I’m so, so grateful for them.
SL: If 2021 was a person, would you be

friends with them?
SG: I think so! I think 2021 would be that
friend that messes everything up by mis-
take and breaks everything else while try-
ing to fix it. It would be a very on again off
again friendship, but we’d make it work.
@skyehgrif

CONFLUENCE OF
CONTENT
& COMMERCE THE LOCALPRENEURS’ WAY!
By Abhishansa Mathur
P utting an entrepreneurial hat

demands you to work in as
many departments as you may
need, for running a business and be-
ing a Content Creator in a social me-
dia savvy world.
If you are a small business owner,

this responsibility is more on your
shoulder. Sure, you may have a team
to support you, but as an entrepre-
neur, you have more things to do on
your KRA than hours in a day.
In today’s time, those who are run-

ning a business with an online
presence, know the importance of
content that leads to gaining an au-
dience, building a connection with their offerings, show their personal
prospective customers, and finally side to build an informal relation-
converting them into any kind of ship and build a community that is
transactional relationship. Especial- more than just commerce.
ly ones that are born out of Social
Media. They explore the route of Abhishansa Mathur speaks with Lo-
content to commerce in comparison calPreneurs Sujata Biswas and Tani-
to performance led campaigns. And ya Biswas, Co-founders of SUTA,
thus, several small business owners, Shirali Patel, Founder of Small Idea,
while running an online business, & Kriti Jindal, Founder of Kari By
along with numerous business-cen- Kriti to understand how they man-
tric roles, don the hat and maintain age both running the day to day
the persona of content creators as errands of a business along with
well. Like any other creator, they hop honing their content creator side to
on the newest trends to talk about engage with their audience.

Tell us a little about yourself and your
brand.
SUJATA BISWAS AND
TANIYA BISWAS
We believe Suta isn’t just an entrepreneur-
ial stint for us, it is an ever-growing family
that celebrates mindfulness with fashion.
Each piece is designed from the heart,
combining India’s centuries-old weaving @suta_bombay
traditions and contemporary style.
We call ourselves City girls but tradition-
alists at heart. We often found it difficult
to source affordable, sustainable, and
contemporary Indian wear for ourselves.
co-founders of SUTA
What gave us the nudge to pause and give jobs for better-paying jobs in larger cities
up the everyday bustle and jump the en- but as vendors or construction workers or
trepreneurial bandwagon, was a trip to something equally heart-crushing. Our
our native village in West Bengal. Fasci- main mission began with the philosophy
nated with the weaving craft and appalled to change the way handcrafted textiles in
at the current conditions, we took it on India were sold and presented – with a
us to revitalize this unique handloom in- strong focus on getting the weavers and
dustry. Our business aim was simple: to craftsmen back into action!
uplift the weaver community, to promote
slow fashion, and to bring back the saree As we studied the market, we realized
as an everyday uber cool outfit for all gen- that there are three things required for
erations at affordable prices. Today, as we creating an impact for the revival of hand-
look back with pride, we are a strong team looms–design, intervention, and innova-
of weavers, designers, embroiderers, and tion by designers. We helped our weavers
admin, weaving the future together as a evolve, mix and match yarns and reinter-
Rs. 33 crore bootstrapped company! pret traditional designs into newer and
Most workers with whom we interacted more modern versions – so that we could
were being forced to leave their skilled appeal to and cultivate a larger audience.

As a founder, you own multiple hats, how
important is content creation for you at
this stage? How do you manage to balance
both? Any tips on the same?
Setting clear priorities helps us function well

in multiple roles. Amidst the other important
things, lucid communication, across all chan-
nels and internally, and being on top of num-
bers every day are a big part of how we work
and stay on track. For the communication part,
it is very important for us to stay connected
with our community constantly, and that’s
where content creation comes in. We connect
a lot with our Queens on social media, it has
now grown into a beautiful space for fun yet
serious conversations. It’s ever-evolving and
hence more invigorating. We love telling our
stories and engaging with our customers this
way through our content, so we make sure we
record our activities and thoughts and create
content regularly. We have a very agile and
smart team for content, who ideates, collates,
and edits the content we share wonderfully.
How do you take your time out to create

content for your social media? How much
do you invest daily or weekly, ideating and
implementing it? Can you walk us through
SUJATA BISWAS
your content creation process?
Our content is very real and we try to keep it so

rather than following trends. We invest more
in showing what goes on daily so that people
know us better and relate to us. We plan to an
extent for our launches and campaigns, but
mostly our content is very instinctive and agile.
We pop up with thought-provoking questions,
we host conversations, we talk about values
that we as a brand believe in. Our content is
more like an extension of the value we create
each day through Suta and the stories of people
in our universe.
Do you join the bandwagon of trends to cre-

ate content? Do you think that helps? One
trend that helped you boom your growth?
We believe that brands should be updated with

what’s happening in the digital world, be pres-
ent on all the platforms, and invest some time
in each because every platform is a wonderful
portal to build and connect to our Suta com-
munity. One thing that has specifically helped
us a lot is going live. Going live is also some-
thing that we love and do often, as that has
helped us a lot in engaging with our customers
directly. They like to hear from us from time to
time, and there is a lot of trust that is built in
the process. We get a lot of traction on our live
sessions, which indicates that our customers
love these interactions just as much too.
TANIYA BISWAS
Can you share the pros and cons of Do you think homegrown brands What do you think is better? Having a
building a brand with the content cre- should delve into creating content fol- Brand profile or Brand with a Content
ator’s persona? lowing trends and which is entertain- Creator persona! Share your thoughts!
ing to the audience? A few points you
We think there are more pros than cons would like to share with the upcoming The brand’s persona is ultimately what
when the brand’s voice and the content or fellow brand community! (Dos and builds a great community around it. So,
creator’s persona are in sync. This way, it’s Don’ts) a well-defined yet evolving brand perso-
easier to create content impromptu with- na with the support of content creators’
out prior planning and be spontaneous. It’s a very personal choice. There’s no personas complementing it is what we
When the story you are telling is genuine, right and wrong in it. As long as you are believe would work well.
both as a brand as well as personally, con- comfortable following the trend, it’s okay,
tent creation becomes a natural outcome but if you don’t want to, then that is okay
rather than something that is forced. too. The only thing brands should keep
However, one of the cons could be that in mind is that they shouldn’t say or do
there is a lot of pressure to constantly anything hurtful or use their platforms to
create content, especially, aligning with propagate anything unkind. One piece of
trends. And, when one does not take that advice to upcoming brands would be to
approach, it can be a little tricky to keep stay true to who you are and do not try to
the engagement high. Also, sometimes be someone else. Following what’s popu-
constantly being in the public eye can take lar is okay, but losing yourself while doing
a toll on mental health and cause stress. it is not.

purpose to them. I wanted my products to have
mass appeal and not just limit myself to the doll-
house collectors. That is how the idea for the
Small Idea germinated. I sell quirky miniatures
with utility purposes like bookmarks, memo
board pins, etc.
As a founder, you own multiple hats, how

important is content creation for you at this
stage? How do you manage to balance both?
Any tips on the same?
In this age of social media boom, creating con-

tent for various platforms has become important
and inevitable. This is one of the ways to expand
the viewership of one’s brand outside paid ad-
vertisements.
How do you take your time out to create con-

tent for your social media? How much do you
invest daily or weekly, ideating and imple-
menting it? Can you walk us through your
content creation process?
I plan all my content as I work. I always keep

my camera handy and click multiple images
throughout the making process. This way, I have
enough content on hand. Ideally, I work at least
two weeks in advance, so even if I am on vaca-
tion, my work doesn’t get affected. I target to post
5 days a week. Once I have two weeks’ worth of
content, it’s all auto-scheduled to go live on the
allocated date and time. This way, I can plan my
feed aesthetics better
SHIRALI
PATEL@smallidea
Founder- Small Idea

brand.
I am a biochemist by education and have

worked as a buyer and merchandiser in
the retail sector for more than a decade.
But then, the creative urge took over, and
I decided to switch my career. I had a cre-
ative bone in me and experience in the
retail sector, so I decided to start my own
business. I am a self-taught miniaturist
and I have been learning this art form for
12 years now. Miniatures always attracted
me as a child, and it still does as an adult.
There are many miniaturists in the mar-
ket, but I wanted to stand out, and wanted
to make miniatures that had a utilitarian

Do you join the bandwagon of trends
to create content? Do you think that
helps? One trend that helped you
boom your growth?
Honestly, yes, it helps. I tried to join

trends, but after the initial few weeks
of intensively working to create content
as per trend, I lost my mojo. I am not a
content creator. I am an artist Though,
following trends has helped me gain
viewership, it has done nothing to grow
me as an artist. So, I now just focus on
what I am good at, which is making
miniatures.:)
Can you share the pros and cons of

building a brand with the content
creator’s persona?
Pro-Following a trend helps you gain a

boost from the algorithm, which means
you will be seen by many more people
and in turn, gain customers
Con- if you are a one-person army, then

content creation is all one does. These
kinds of things leave very little time to
ideate and create original art.
Do you think homegrown brands

should delve into creating content
following trends and which is enter-
taining to the audience? A few points
you would like to share with the up-
coming or fellow brand community!
(Dos and Don’ts)
Staying in rhythm with current trends

helps but not at the cost of your “cre-
ative time”. Utilize your time wisely
to showcase your product in the best
possible way. And never lose the focus
of why you started the brand. It was so
that you could create and sell products,
and not for views and likes. It would be
best to focus on the product and make it
so exquisite that eventually, people will
want to buy them. After all, we are de-
signers and not entertainers.
What do you think is better? Hav-

ing a Brand profile or Brand with a
Content Creator persona! Share your
thoughts!
I believe, while it is important to have

a face behind the brand, the focus has
to be on the products. A balanced mix
of having a great brand product and a
glimpse of the life and personality of the
brand creator is the key to success.

KRITI
JINDAL
@karibykriti
Founder- Kari By Kriti

brand.
Kari is short for karigar or artisan, and

Kari by Kriti is a curation of living ideas
that draw their inspiration from tradition- How do you take your time out to cre-
al Indian textiles. I work with various block ate content for your social media? How
prints, wood products, ikats, handwoven much do you invest daily or weekly,
linen, vintage textiles, and embroideries to ideating and implementing it? Can you
create homewares that are loved in modern walk us through your content creation
homes. process?
As a founder, you own multiple hats, I have a small team that takes care of our
how important is content creation for social media. As a founder, it was becoming
you at this stage? How do you manage to increasingly difficult for me to take care of
balance both? Any tips on the same? posting consistently. Having a team in place
has helped us tremendously. We plan our
A large part of our daily to-do list revolves week’s content one week in advance. We
around creating content. In a highly con- usually spend about 3-4 hours per week
nected and social media-heavy world, con- creating content. The process usually starts
tent is the king. We strive to create content with discussions on new product launches
calendars every week so we know exactly and then weaving stories around products
what to put out every day. This has helped that are doing well or some that need a
us put out content on time and remain con- bit more push. We do like to include some
sistent. Consistency is extremely important sneak peeks into new launches and behind-
to grow on social media. the-scenes.

Do you join the bandwagon of
trends to create content? Do you
think that helps? One trend that
helped you boom your growth?
Yes and no! We try to use audios that

are trending, and we try transitions
that can make videos more engaging.
Yes, following some trends does help,
but we don’t always do all the trends.
We follow some that are in line with
the brand’s values and audience.
Can you share the pros and cons of

building a brand with the content
creator’s persona?
I would say, Pros would be, the audi-

ence gets to connect with a face be-
hind the brand, which creates a lot
more trust than a brand without a
face. It helps with connecting with our
micro audience as well.
According to my experience, It’s not
always feasible to come in front of the
camera, as it takes a lot of planning,
and brand owners need to give up
their inhibition of coming in front of
the camera.
Do you think homegrown brands

should delve into creating content
following trends and which is en-
tertaining to the audience? A few
points you would like to share with
the upcoming or fellow brand com-
munity! (Dos and Don’ts)
Yes, the content has to be, either ed-

ucational or entertaining for the user
base. Depending on the target audi-
ence, it’s crucial to understand the
type of content that will work for them.
There will always be hits or misses, so
it’s essential to not lose faith and con-
tinue creating. Also, aesthetics is im-
portant, but it’s much more important
to remain consistent. I would also not
put all my eggs in one basket and cre-
ate content across platforms. Like Ins-
tagram, Pinterest, Blogs, and Youtube.
Brand Vs Brand with Content Cre-

ator persona! Share your thoughts!
Like I mentioned Content is king! I

can’t imagine a brand flourishing
without content!

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1 SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.

18 Ourange Jyuce Gang:

15 Things 2021 taught me!

34 What’s got ‘em hooked

36 Through The Lens -

39 Creator’s corner: What’s

43 From the bed to the streets:

46 Beauty trends that took

12 It’s time to unwind

53 Confluence of Content & Commerce

WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.IN SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 4

Sales and Business

703, Cosmos Plaza, Next to DN Nagar Metro Station, JP Road,

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS ARE USED FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSE ONLY

For Queries write to To Contribute: For Business Queries write to

5 SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.IN

I read this somewhere on the internet, and I

Well, it might be hard to believe for someone

I feel December is a month of hope and re-

Have a Happy and Safe New Year!

Mrinil Mathur, Founder & Editor

If you have stories that should be shared with

WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.IN SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 6

7 SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.IN

For beauty influencer, Geetika Singh, this lockdown

Viraj Kapoor and Gunjan Saini write amazing poet-

8 SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.IN

Devika Khade is a theater artist, comedian, and a life-

For Shreyas Mendiratta, an artist and YouTuber,

Devika also faced a lot of issues with almost every-

Viraj, on the other hand, mentions that it took him

WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.IN SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 9

While for Shreyas, it’s been an exploration and he’s

Cheers to the lows,

Being a student as well as a content creator, Chai-

Viraj Kapoor @Viraj Kapoor

10 SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.IN

Hard work does show!

For Chaitali, it was the love that her friends and

One of the happiest incidents for Viraj was meeting

Gunjan too was overwhelmed when a girl ap-

Vidya also feels blessed when she meets her follow-

Shreyas Mendiratta @shreyasmendiratta

WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.IN SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 11

Life coach, TEDx speaker, poet, and an ex-fauji, Ronit

Feeling anxious about work is also okay as long as you’re

12 SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.IN

When Shrima stopped enjoying her work, she also realized

It’s okay to take breaks.

Mariyam Saigal is a wonderful spoken word poet and a law

Similarly, there was also a time in Arouba’s life when she

WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.IN SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 13

While Arouba finds her solace and calm in her doggos! “I

For Ronit, it’s either catching up on sleep or going out and

For Sucharita it’s a mix of everything. “Hours and hours of

short weekend breaks”, says Shrima. Mariyam, on the other

Similarly, Sucharita also calls it a privilege! She feels taking

Arouba suggests many things. “Sometimes your personal life

14 SOCIAL KETCHUP DEC 2021 WWW.SOCIALKETCHUP.IN