The popularity of TikTok, a social media application, is soaring among the youth for its entertaining features. The app is known as ‘Douyin’ in China and is used for creating and sharing videos as well as live broadcasting. TikTok, which allows users to create music, dance, comedy, acting, lip-sync and other types of short videos of 15 seconds duration, has garnered more than 500 million users across 150 countries, according to a report. Orissa POST spoke to some regular users to find out why this app is so popular.
Dibyajyoti Udayasing from Bhubaneswar has formed a TikTok group with some of his friends as members. They decide on a topic daily and try to make funny videos and upload them on YouTube. “I find the app really interesting. It allows you to share your talents with others. It’s really simple as you do not have to use any special costume or accessories. You don’t have to pay anything to record a video clip either. It’s true that some guys who have become popular on YouTube after uploading TikTok videos have started wearing costumes and makeup to enhance the quality of the videos. We have a few videos on YouTube and it feels good to see that the videos have got nearly 1.5 lakh views in a few days,” he says.
Actor Asish Kumar Dash considers the app to be a good platform to become popular. “Most of us use Android phones and the youngsters are always on the look-out for something new to try out their ideas. Man, woman or child, everyone possesses some exceptional skill. For people who want to display their skills, TikTok is the right platform. There are many who use the app regularly and manage to attract ‘views’,” observes Ashis, who is well known in Odisha for his comic roles in Odia movies like Lekhu Lekhu Lekhi Deli, Mun Gandhi Nuhen, and Champion.
Suresh Kumar Behera, a comedian from Mendhasala village near Bhubaneswar, is a daily user of this app. A well-known face on TV, Suresh uses the app for fun. He says, “When my friends told me about TikTok and its features, I tried it and found it very interesting. People across all age groups and from all sections of society can enjoy this app to get some relief from the stress of city life. We decided to make a group and then uploaded a few videos on YouTube. Our YouTube videos are becoming popular slowly but steadily.”
Barsha Mallick, a student from Bhubaneswar, uses the app as a leisure pursuit. “I love to experiment. I love to sing, dance and act. I found the app very cool specially to enliven dull moments. This app is meant for those who have talent but do not get the opportunity to show their skill,” she says.
BRATATI BARAL, OP