Page 3 celebrities in the Malayalam entertainment industry are putting their best face forward to make a space for themselves in crowded cyber world. They have logged on to start their YouTube channels that have personal stories, vlogs and tidbits of their hobbies and interests, all to get up-close and personal with their fans. MetroPlus browses through a few such channels.
On her sojourn
Anumol
“I am feeling jealous,” that’s what Dulquer Salmaan said when he officially launched the title of actor Anumol’s YouTube channel, Anu Yathra, last month. For Anu, the channel is a blend of many things that she loves, especially “travel, being in front of the camera and talking”.
Anu Yathra keeps herself engaged, says Anu. “I am not a prolific actor because I am very choosy about my roles. I had also taken a break from my other passion, classical dance. I didn’t want to remain idle and that’s why I launched the channel where I can do what I love,” she adds.
Among her travel logs are trips to Rayiranelloor hill in Pattambi, which is associated with the legend of Naranathu Bhranthan, a character from Malayali folklore, and the nearby Branthachalam Temple, Chokkana in Thrissur and Kodenchery in Kozhikode, where she camped with a group of travellers. A “dream-come-true” trip to Kolkata, which she explored while shooting for a Bengali movie, has been included. Also featured are “handpicked jewellery” and designs of Ayush Kejriwal, a designer of repute from Kolkata.
Anu has also posted videos on skincare, make-up, shopping and food. “My friends handle camera and editing. I am planning to build a separate team for all that and also learn it myself.”
Launch: September 2018
Subscribers: 6,864
Entertainment unlimited
Pearle Maaney and Srinish Aravind in the promo song of her web series, ‘Pearlish’
‘This is what happens when a girl born and brought up in Kerala watches too many YouTube shows and decides to start one herself.’ That’s how the irrepressible Pearle Maaney introduces her channel, Pearle Maaney Show (PMS). “I have never been taken seriously by my viewers. But having seen my vulnerable side in Bigg Boss [where she was the first runner-up], things have changed. Viewers know that I was doing my job by acting funny. PMS is where I can be myself. When you are on TV, you are expected to speak and act in a particular way. But here everything is under my control.”
The channel is high on entertainment quotient, be it in how she interacts with fans or how she has paired with her close friend and actor Shaun Romy for two episodes. A fan of YouTube stars Lilly Singh, Liza Koshy and Chase Amie, Pearle is all set to launch a six-episode web series, Pearlish , “a romantic comedy” starring herself and Srinish Aravind, whom she is dating. The promo song of the series has already garnered 1.2 million views. However, Pearle says that her long-term goal is to motivate people. “All this light-hearted stuff is to create an audience. Once I get dedicated viewers, the real show begins!”
Launch: March 2018
Subscribers: 83,522
Being candid
Archana Kavi
Archana Kavi is a veteran on YouTube. “I genuinely wanted people to know me as a person. Also, I loved creating content,” the actor says. The freedom such a platform gives is an add-on, Archana adds. “When I give an interview, I am very conscious about what I say and how I sound. But here I can be who I am,” she says. Nevertheless, she had her apprehensions. “I thought people may assume that I have no films and therefore I am trying to be relevant, especially because I am married to a YouTube star [stand-up comic, Abish Mathew]. However, once the channel was launched, I didn’t get a single negative comment,” she says.
Her two-year-old channel has covered travel, beauty care, fashion and DIY. One of the most watched episodes has been ‘Talk With Archie’, her uproarious interviews with well-known non-resident Malayalis, most of whom fall in her friends’ circle or that of Abish’s. “I am not Malayali enough for the people in Kerala because I have grown up in Delhi. Whereas, in Delhi, I am not considered a North Indian! Through my ‘Talk With Archie’ series, I wanted to show that how well you know the language doesn’t determine who you are,” she says.
Another popular segment has been Toofan Mail , a seven-episode mini-web series written by her on a father-daughter bonding. Archana and her journalist-father, Jose Kavi, essayed the main roles.
Launch: June 2016
Subscribers: 46,373
Personal stories
Chandini Sreedharan
Chandini Sreedharan gifted herself a channel on her last birthday. “I want people to know the real me and my interests other than acting, especially singing and dancing. The best part of running your channel is that you have creative control over what goes out. I have always enjoyed working behind the scenes,” says the actor.
It’s in English because she “wants to reach out to more people”. “Having done films in Tamil and Telugu before coming to Malayalam cinema, I wanted to interact with my viewers there as well,” she adds. Nevertheless, Chandini knows that her accent would invite trolls and memes. “I am ready for it. I have grown up in the United States and still shuttles between my homes in India and the US.” She will be posting videos on fashion, skin/hair care, and on location shots.
Launch: December 2018
Subscribers: 719
Twin delight
Abhirami Suresh (left) and Amritha Suresh
“AG Vlogs is an extension of our creative pursuits,” say siblings Amritha Suresh and Abhirami Suresh, who have been making waves with their music band, Amrutam Gamay. The channel takes a “a peep into our personal lives.” Amritha adds, “We are like chalk and cheese and what you see out there is how we are in real life.” Travel, food, music, shopping... they have explored it all in the company of long-time friend and musician, Karthik Krishnan. Abhirami is pleased that the vlog has changed how people perceive her. “I used to get a lot of hate messages, thanks to how I look, dress and speak. But now at least a few of them have changed their opinion about me!” she says.
Launch: December 2018
Subscribers: 59,705
