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A standout characteristic of art as a form of expression is that it is unrestricted and free. There are no set boundaries or rules to what counts or discounts as art, and certainly not in the time of the internet.
At a time when social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and (briefly) TikTok consume most of our days, it is only logical to expect newfound art forms to surface here. Short dance choreographies, face art, and styling tips are just a few. One art form that we all expected to spill over to social media, however, is resistance or protest art. Resistance does not only mean marching on the streets or painting big bold words across pictures of underwhelming leadership personalities or even dramatic videos that we unfortunately still witness on our television sets in the form of news. It’s the Generation of Memes, and 5 seconds are enough to register solid protest.
Additionally, people also put together videos creatively to spread awareness about issues such as mental health.
While TikTok proved to be the perfect platform for satirical videos on pressing socio-political issues of the world, India had to bid farewell to it, unsurprisingly, due to the aforementioned socio-political issues. As Instagram swooped in to save the day with Instagram Reels, the Indian audience was quick to take to it. In fact, a Times of India report revealed — “analytics firm Apptopia figured that the average time spent by users within the Instagram app grew by around 3.5 per cent after Reels was launched in the country.”
Putting this feature to good use and voicing thoughts that need to be out there, especially in these shaky times of 2020 are a few creators that deserve recognition. Strongly believing in meaningful dissent, especially if it makes us grin, or better, think, we have put together a list of just a few of them.
I. Divija Bhasin
Holding a Masters in clinical psychology herself, Divija is one content creator you can trust when it comes to anything mental health. Her quirky and witty Instagram reels cater to the perception of mental health illnesses in India and how one can choose to go about coping with them. Making way for necessary conversations around this subject, Divija attempts to (hilariously) shatter misconceptions about mental health and its significance. This includes exploring the importance of attending therapy, clarifying fundamental characteristics of certain illnesses and boldly ridiculing those who ridicule mental health. In addition to this much-needed content, her Reels also pose questions to the Indian society about toxic masculinity and women empowerment, amongst others.
You can find Divija Bhasin here.
II. Esha Bahal
Speaking unapologetically of age-old systemic issues that continue to plague the country, Esha is straightforward in her approach. She puts facts and insights across succinctly, a manner which conveys the message effectively. Creating Reels on subjects of heinous caste-based and gender-based crimes, the autonomy of women over their bodies, mental health and female individuality, it is as if Esha recognises the absolute need to persuade people to unlearn certain constructs of society in order to reside in a more loving and inclusive world. She is a law student who considers herself an intersectional feminist and LGBTQIA+ ally and proudly aims to inspire others to be, too.
You can find Esha Bahal here.
III. Kareema Barry
Apart from the abundance of comedic Reels, some of Kareema’s most memorable and impactful videos include the ones that remind her audience of various societal issues and the harm in being complicit with them. While the Reels ‘Girls need to remove body hair’ and ‘What do you call a man who...’ are to reiterate the true worth of women, some of her other videos also address mental health, inefficiencies of the Government during the pandemic (and in general). Leaving us in a feel-good mood with an ear-to-ear smile on our faces after creatively expressing reasonable opinions on serious problems, Kareema is a must-follow for all-round entertaining yet informative content.
You can find Kareema here.
IV. Moose Jattana
19-year-old Moose Jattana is calling out people’s wrongdoings just as they should be. Her content is dedicated to encouraging women’s equality and rights in the strongest and most convincing manner. Unafraid to return the favour to a young boy that messaged her extremely inappropriately, Moose tracked him down and rightly even complained to his school. The video which is accompanied by the best Punjabi music, now sits comfortably at 6.6 million views, garnering mixed responses. She, however, was concerned enough to respond even to the haters and justify her action — men must be held accountable.
Confident in her approach and kind in her words, Moose is the equivalent of Pikachu — as charming as she seems, she can shock you just as easily.
You can find Moose here.
V. Saumya Sahni
Letting us all know how to mix light-hearted humour with weighted social causes, Saumya mostly creates comedic content but the Reels that she has created as a form of satirical social commentary are commendable. This includes rightly ridiculing the lack of the government’s actions during the pandemic, male toxicity and the hypocrisy of the Indian society in the way they differently treat men and women. The message is subtle as Saumya lets the hilarity of the content make an impact.
You can find Saumya here.
VI. Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju
Trinetra is busy enough as it is pursuing her MBBS, yet she makes sure to find time to smash the patriarchy, misogyny, and all things unfair and of discriminating nature with her powerful digital content, and most recently, Instagram Reels. As a proud and courageous transwoman, she opines on the derogatory Indian view of not just transwomen, but anyone who faces oppression and unacceptance for just being their true selves. Always rooting for the empowerment of those who need it, Trinetra manages to opine on systemic societal issues with a strong hint of satire and comedy.
You can find Trinetra here.
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