In support of Centre’s ban, TikTok users now seek Indian alternative

In support of Centre’s ban, TikTok users now seek Indian alternative

Sushil.Rao@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad:02.07.2020

While they are in complete support of Centre’s move to ban TikTok, users of the app are now wishing for an Indian alternative at the earliest. They say that other platforms such as Instagram or Youtube serve a different purpose and cannot be a replacement to a creative app like TikTok.

“People found it funny when I made music videos in that app. I love music and I am passionate about making the videos. I am living my life the way I wanted to by putting out everything I wanted to in public domain. However, at the same I am a responsible person,” said Kalyani Gorre, an environmentalist, who is also pursuing her Ph D. In a very short time she got more than 10,000 followers and put out 1,500 videos. “Sometimes I would put out a social message asking people to plant trees, or simply make sound tracks and act it out,” said Kalyani, a resident of Lingampally.

While Kalyani is pursuing her own goals, Eshwar of Kavadiguda was had high hopes and believed that the app would take him to higher places. The 27-year-old has been marketing his videos and hoped to gain an entry into films. He imitates Tamil actor Dhanush, son-inlaw of Rajnikanth, as he has an uncanny resemblance to him. “I myself was shocked when one of my videos got 11.9 millions views,” Eashwar Dhanush, as he calls himself, told TOI. “I put out only 340 videos in the last two-and-ahalf years but people liked what I did,” he said.

The Centre’s decision to ban TikTok does affect creative people but Yugandhar Munagala, who is popular on the app agrees that the interest of the nation should come first. “I must admit that I got my identity by doing videos where I showed off my beard,” Yugandhar, who has already forayed into tinsel town, said. The 28-year-old, who is a post-graduate in microbiology, works for a Germany-based seeds company. With two lakh followers, Yugandhar, a resident of Suchitra said that the need of the hour is to come up with an Indian app that matches TikTok or has better features.

A CREATIVE OUTLET FOR MANY