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The journey of Bohra Sisters making a mark on Instagram. Now at 51k followers, they bring to life nostalgic childhood memories with quirky story-telling...
The journey of Bohra Sisters making a mark on Instagram. Now at 51k followers, they bring to life nostalgic childhood memories with quirky story-telling…
Instagram is the new-age gallery for artists to display their creations. Content creation is a fiercely competitive space with new entrants everyday fighting to increase their follower base. However it takes a subtle personal touch to establish a connection with the audience. And not all content creators can strike that balance between emotion and art! Now let’s meet the Bohra sisters, who have carved a niche with engaging story-telling which strikes a chord with Instagram users. Zainab and Shakina started the Bohra Sisters Instagram account in 2015 and have a strong base of 51K followers.
The first time I browsed through their content, I couldn’t help myself from being flooded with childhood memories. They stand true to the line in their bio “Old is gold Ok”! I reached out to them for an email interview to discuss their journey as artists on Instagram. Currently they are living across continents- Zainab is in Kuwait while Shakina is in San Francisco. But their passionate venture continues to gain hearts across the globe!
I asked them how this journey started and how they chose their focus areas. Zainab stated, “We started our Instagram page as a hobby. We wanted to collaborate on something together where we could both put our hobbies to use. I loved making animations and Shakina enjoyed drawing. So our idea was to create animations to showcase our childhood memories, something we could later re-visit and smile about.”
Their main objective of recreating their childhood memories worked wonderfully in creating a connection. Reminiscing the blissful childhood days can bring a smile to everyone’s face! Zainab and Shakina add cultural nuances, nostalgic background songs as recurring themes relating to that phase of their lives. They fondly recall that the songs they listened to when growing up were the ones they used in their animations.
They chose to name their page as Bohra Sisters as they belong to the community, but they believe their work is not just within the community and reaches a larger audience.
Recently Smriti Irani, the Union minister for Women and Child Development posted on their video with the endearing message of “Give her wings to fly”. It garnered widespread attention with many celebrities responding positively.
This is like a dream coming true for any artist- to see their creation getting recognised. When I asked them about their reaction to see the post trending, they were clearly excited!
The sisters mentioned, “We had created that video for Women’s day. It’s always really heart-warming to see your work being appreciated and loved on such a level. We’re really grateful, and especially so because it was a video promoting girl-child education, a cause that is very close to our hearts.”
Apart from girl-child education, they are very passionate about conserving the environment. Their work will continue to focus on keeping the environment clean, planting trees, recycling, proper waste disposal, animal welfare and conservation.
What started as a hobby for the Bohra Sisters has evolved into an association with businesses who value their art. I talked to them regarding their partnerships in developing content for brands and organizations. They consider these opportunities as the much needed fuel to expand their reach. Apart from the exposure, they were particular about lending value to the associations in their signature style. They said, “At the very basic level, we are always trying to tell a story that has a beating heart in it.”
Social media platforms are becoming great avenues for content creators to showcase their talent. As more artists start exploring the space, learning from the journey of successful entrants becomes more pronounced. When asked about advice for upcoming artists planning to use social media platforms, the sisters shared very meaningful thoughts.
They mentioned, “Be original and true to yourself. Don’t try to copy someone just because they’re successful. Do what makes you happy. And then, have loads and loads of patience. Because it’s very easy to get demotivated if recognition doesn’t come your way, but if you are really happy with what you’re doing, you won’t be bothered by that.”
Image source – Instagram
Electrical engineer turned into Marketer. From heartland of Tamilnadu but almost Mumbaikaar. read more...
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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