Content creator and entrepreneur Malini Agarwal takes TMM into her world
To say that Malini Agarwal has had an extraordinary journey would be stating the obvious. If there’s anything anyone wants to know about Indian lifestyle, Bollywood, fashion, and beauty, one turns to MissMalini.com, the blog she founded in 2008. For somebody who has grown all over the world, thanks to a father who was in Foreign Services, to getting picked up by a dance troupe and becoming a professional dancer, to becoming a part of the dotcom boom, it’s all been quite a ride!
The former Radio Jockey had a popular column in a leading newspaper and the blog started as a hobby on a friend’s suggestion. And the rest, as they say, is history. The Founder & Creative Director of MissMalini Entertainment Pvt Ltd, TV host, entrepreneur, and best-selling author on her journey…
The term ‘digital influencer’ is known now, but back in 2008, what was it like to explain to people what you do?
A lot of people just thought I play games on my phone! (laughs). My mom would always tell people that her daughter is an internet blogger. She thought that I block the spam and junk that celebrities get in their inbox! It was so random, I don’t know where she got that idea from, but it was so cute (smiles). Internet wasn’t that evolved then. MissMalini started in 2008 and there was no such term but technically we started as an influencer, right? But now, the influencer has got a bad reputation. I prefer being called a content creator.
Who are some of the content creators you admire?
Oh my god, so many! Everyone has such a range. I have always admired Lilly Singh, formerly known as Superwoman. She is very real and fun and addressed a lot of things that people didn’t generally speak about. Aanam C, Sherry Shroff, Santoshi Shetty, Team 07… I find it amazing that people like Faizu who were working for Rs 50 a day now make Rs 4 lakh on Tik Tok. I feel everyone has such a unique offering which is why they are famous.
You have received multiple awards for your work. Do you find that your word now has more impact because of the recognition?
I’m sure it helps. It definitely makes me feel we are doing something right and people are recognising it. I do try and not take myself too seriously when it comes to awards but I feel what we have been able to do is have integrity. We have been around a decade now and people know we are about positive journalism. We made a rule very early on that we’ll never write something we can’t say to somebody’s face. More than anything, I feel proud of the fact that we have a respectable and reputed name in the industry.
We hear you’re currently working on your second book. Can you tell us what it’s about?
Sure! I have been thinking that while our generation has been on social media for some time now, we were never taught how to use it. I even did a TEDx talk on it. So, what if there was a textbook or a guidebook on how to behave online? It is up to us and our responsibility as the parents of the next generation which will be born with the internet in their lives. It’s going to be about my three rules – never writing something you can’t say to someone’s face, sparking joy with what you post and remembering that followers are people too.
Can you tell us a bit about Malini’s Girl Tribe, a platform you started in 2018?
It’s a community that is currently on Facebook but will have its own platform soon as well. It’s a safe space for women. I feel the reason women are not being able to use the internet effectively is that they are constantly bombarded with spam and negative comments. They don’t feel safe saying something to anyone because of the fear of being trolled. When I formed this community, I found they are really able to share very personal things. In the Girl Tribe, no post goes unnoticed. You are able to talk to strangers about things you might not even feel comfortable talking to friends or family about. We have also extended that to physical events, whether a yoga session that turns into a big Bollywood party or stand-up comedy and even bar-hopping! Every week, we do a Girl Tribe live with interesting people on educational topics. It’s like a virtual clubhouse for women where one can connect with women all over the world. This is a place where they get a sisterhood and can be their truest self.
Your latest venture is MissMalini Trending. What’s that all about?
We cover showbiz, Bollywood, fashion, lifestyle but today’s real content-creators are the digital influencers. They are Gen Z’s idols. They create content and have millions of followers but nobody is acknowledging them as a community. I wanted to create a space where influencers can hang out with each other, people can be inspired from their stories, talk about the latest things in technology, and be a media-house that shows respect and admiration for them. Secondly, people don’t realise how hard it is to be a content creator. It’s not a cakewalk and only creators understand what other creators go through. They needed a space where others understand them and they can find support and collaborate. A place where creators and collaborators look at each other as friends!
What’s the coolest and the most exhausting thing about being who you are?
The coolest thing is being MissMalini and it’s equally exhausting as well! (smiles) I look at my life and realise that I’ve had extraordinary opportunities to build a brand around myself. I feel so proud that we carved an industry which didn’t exist. I have 60-70 people who come to work, excited and motivated to create something. Ninety per cent of my team is women and that didn’t happen by design but because they were the right people for the job. I get to do so many different things and I’m very pleased with the legacy I have created. It is exhausting some days. My team tries to sneak in naps for me! (laughs) So when I was working in radio, I used to ask my boss one question a day just to show him how enthusiastic I am. Now, I have 65 people do that with me every day and I’m like, ‘I know you’re working!’ (laughs) | MissMalini | TMM
Lastly, describe your life in three words…
Extraordinary, unforgettable, and fun!
Words: Deepali Singh
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