Social media proved to be a relief pill during the lockdown period. While the pandemic was ravaging on in the country, content creators on social media were providing some much-needed hope to many across the globe. One such social media influencer is Ruhee Dosani, whose grooves and moves on Bollywood music with her friends has resulted in her becoming one of the most popular influencers on the Internet. In a conversation with Outlook, she talks about her first video getting viral, her love for Bollywood and its impact on her. She also opens up about sponsorships and her content development process.
How has your journey as a content creator changed your life since your first video got viral?
So far, this journey has been incredibly fun for me, I’ve realized that it’s not just about the content I create, but it’s also the impact that I’m able to have on people. When the pandemic hit, it was a tough time and I realized that dance is something that made me smile and when my first video went viral, I came to the realization that people who watch me are also enjoying the content I make and that is an exhilarating feeling. However, I’m at that point where I not only have fun while creating content but I also make sure to think about what my audience likes and in many ways, it has helped me connect with them a lot more.
Your love for Bollywood is very visible from the content you create, grooving on desi tracks and portraying characters, where does this impact come from and what has kept it going all these years?
Growing up, my family loved listening to the 90’s Bollywood music and it has now become a huge part of who I am and what I do today. I’m also aware that nostalgia is something that impacts people in ways that are unique and beautiful because it transports you to a different time of your life. That’s the feeling I wanted to evoke in people who watch my videos. So, you do see me mostly using music that played a huge part in shaping my childhood. Music is something that evokes different emotions in different people and I want to be able to do that for my audience when a video of mine pops up on my feed.
Social media is more sort of an open-ended platform where the trends change vigorously, how does it impact you as a content creator and what are challenges you face throughout?
People obviously love riding the trends bandwagon, because there’s always something new to try and recreate. Although I love watching content that is based on the most recent trends, it does impact me as a content creator as I have so much to choose from. I usually try to pick the trends that resonate with me, the people I feature in my videos and my audience, which is always a challenge, but I keep trying to find ways to navigate these challenges and make videos that are authentically me. However, what I truly enjoy is picking music for my content that is classic and evergreen which is why I tend to pick nostalgic ad jingles, cartoon theme songs or old school songs that get you grooving and I think that’s where I also find my niche. Just like every other content creator I also feel some pressure to create content that my audience would enjoy and now that I have this huge platform which also puts this added pressure on me to be more responsible. Having said all this, I cannot tell you how grateful I am to be given the kind of love that I do by people who enjoy my content.
How do you maintain a balance between your digital life and real life?
When I was 18, I moved to a different country where I didn’t know anybody, found a job and settled down. Although I felt that I’ve always been connected to my family and friends because of the digital age that we live in, when I started creating content, I could embrace a whole new set of people who I now call my family. I may not know all of them by name but they’re all very close to my heart. The beauty of being a content creator is that I’m not only grateful for my audience but also other incredibly talented people that I’ve been able to meet through the platform. The internet for me is more about bringing people together.
One of the most pondered discussions is the economics of the influencer and with time we see a number of people coming up with their talents too, how does the sponsorship factor work?
Sponsorship is definitely a huge factor in any content creators world because it’s the bread and butter. However, I only choose to work with the brands that I truly believe in or am a fan of because otherwise it just feels unethical to me.
As a content creator, what responsibilities do you feel towards your followers in terms of content and how do you moderate it?
I am a very simple person with a simple funda in life, I make content because it makes me happy and I’ve realized it makes my audience smile, so be it someone who’s had a rough day, someone who’s had a sh***y day at work, I want to create content that makes everyone happy. As far as I’m concerned, if my videos make my audience happy, that’s all that matters to me. I don’t really care about numbers.
Creating content and managing a profile/handle are two sides of the same coin, how do you toss it for your side on your own?
I don’t necessarily see that as two separate things. Creating content and putting it up on a platform are essentially parts of the same process for me, personally. Which is why I don’t really toss the coin, I just try to make some (laughs).
