Rocking social media with desi spices | Hyderabad News – Times of India

Around two years ago when Seepaani Santhamma’s husband died, she slipped into depression. That’s when a relative suggested she make videos of her mouthwatering recipes. So, in the middle of the pandemic last year Santhamma, (54), took the plunge, started a YouTube channel — ‘Srikakulam Palle Ruchulu’ — with the help of her daughter. Today, her channel has over 1.28 lakh subscribers and in addition to traditional recipes of the Srikakulam region, she shares instant recipes for bachelors and health tips too.
“When I started, I didn’t know I could earn money with this…I was surprised that I made about Rs 50,000 the month I came up with the video on fish curry and allam (ginger) barfi. Today, I use this income to help others, especially to feed the poor…But it is not money I am interested in. It is the love and appreciation I receive from people that makes me happy,” she says.
Like Santhamma, there are many middle-aged and elderly women across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, who are discovering the power of social media and, in the process, not just gaining admirers across the globe but also supplementing family incomes.
Milkuri Gangavva, from Lambadipally, is one among them. Her journey to being a YouTube sensation started with a guest appearance on her relative’s ‘My Village Show’. But it hasn’t been easy for this grandmother of eight. Her husband was a drunkard and after he passed away in 2013, she started farming in nearby lands. “I want women to be brave and not worry about anything,” she says.
Like Gangavva, octogenarian Savitramma, who lives near Machilipatnam, runs a channel — Myna’s Street Food – started by grandchildren started it in 2016. Currently, it has about 13.5 lakh subscribers. Her USP: she uses no mixer grinder or kitchen gadgets, but swears by her traditional style of cooking.
“Age doesn’t matter…it is important to work hard and you will definitely get success,” says Savitramma, who still works in the farm at this age.
High on popularity
The growth in consumption of content in native languages, including Telugu, has been staggering, says Satya Raghavan, director, YouTube Content Partnerships, India. “Over the past few years, we have noticed that in rural Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the maturing of village comedy content and its growing popularity year-on-year has emerged as a key trend,” he shares. According to him, breakout creators from tier 2 and 3 cities have quickly attained celebrity status, and made video creation feel more accessible to others.

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