If someone’s inspiration has been Mark Weins, the content has to be of excellent quality and watch-worthy.
My today’s featured YouTuber is Mohita Namjoshi, the soul of the channel, Curls Books and Bites. Oh, wait! The name of the channel has been changed from Curls Books and Bites to Mohita Namjoshi. So if you are an old follower or a new follower of her channel, I have penned down both the names here.
Who is this channel for? Foodies! If you re-read the first line, you will get a clear idea of the content that goes up on Mohita’s channel. She has been experimenting with the content and hence you will also see some book review videos on her channel. But yes, the majority of the content is about food. If you like to explore new places, no, not because you love to travel but because you love to explore food, then this channel is for you.
One of her videos that I liked the most is Ragi Mudde with Egg Curry. Oh yes, I forgot to tell you that since lockdown she has also been sharing her own cooking videos. From recipes she loved the most while trying out different eateries to simple Maharashtrian food like Dal bhaat and kachryanchi bhaji, she is doing it all and as a viewer, I am loving it all. And I am sure, you all will love it too as in today’s time, that’s all of us – cooking, clicking/recording, and posting.
There are many such food reviewers/travellers on YouTube but what makes Mohita’s channel stand out is the ‘relatability’ factor. If she accidentally gulps down piping hot food, she will react exactly the way you or I would do without editing it out. More than perfect, her content is ‘real.’ Another reason why her videos are relatable is because of her outing with her family. Most of the time, even if you don’t see her fam in the videos, you know they are around as you will see her speaking to them often. It reminds you of your family’s food outings. When people go out alone, eat out alone, and talk only to the camera, it all becomes very ‘professional’ which then makes it ‘not-so-relatable.’
Coming back to the content, Mohita covers different eateries in different cities. So there is Mahabaleshwar, then there is Jaipur, Pune, Nashik, Bengaluru, and other cities. And yes, there is Dubai as well. I am sure by now you have gotten a clear idea of what this channel is all about and why it is on The Digital Popcorn.
Let’s now move ahead and understand when and how Mohita’s YouTube journey began. If you think that YouTube channel is always just a thought away then you are wrong. When I spoke to Mohita, she told me how starting a YouTube channel was on her mind for around 8-9 years. A voice-over artist by profession, the idea of becoming a content creator hit her while working for an Indian Japanese YouTube channel as a Japanese translator. The channel again was related to cooking, so I guess her job had already trained her for the channel.
With Mark Weins on her mind and hands-on experience, Mohita finally started her channel 2 years ago.
A YouTube channel on the surface looks all fun and nice but what happens when fun becomes work especially when you are a food blogger? You cannot go out and eat daily without getting tired of it or without wanting to give it all up and eat ghar ka khana for the rest of your life. Once your channel has followers, there is pressure to constantly churn out content. So what happens when fun becomes work?
(Initially) ‘I did not go out in order to eat. I made food blogs because I went out’ – Mohita.
But then when she had to go out to make blogs and when the number of invitations from the restaurants increased, it all became work. And like it happens with every YouTuber, the channel started encroaching on her personal life. That is when she decided to take a step back and then come back after a break. I guess that’s the right way to deal with the content pressure. Instead of running out of ideas, take a step back, recharge your batteries and then come back with a bang.
This, according to me, is the strategy that every YouTuber or content creator should adopt. If you follow Mohita’s channel, you will notice that the freshness of the mind reflects into her content. There are many YouTubers out there who at the beginning make wonderful videos. You are just hooked to their channels but once the number of viewers starts going up, once the pressure starts building, their energy goes down. Instead of focusing on the quality, their focus shifts on quantity. That is when ‘dullness’ creeps in.
If there are content creators out there who do not take a step back when they should, you should follow in her footsteps.
So what’s next for Mohita? What should her audience expect from her channel in the future?
Since the entire channel started with a ‘let’s try it out’ policy, this will continue on the channel. We even got a glimpse of her studio and voice-over gig in the recent video. I really hope that voicing is the next addition to her channel. And yes, whatever she will do, it will be a natural progression.
Let me know how you like this recommendation in the comments section below. If you are Mohita Namjoshi’s follower, let me know what you love the most about her channel.
And if you know any good YouTube channels that you would like me to feature on The Digital Popcorn, drop me an email at thedigipop@gmail.com or send me a message on Instagram or Facebook.
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