Granfluencers: Elderly influencers take social-media by storm, debunk age myths

If you thought that uploading videos on Instagram was only for the younglings, then you might be mistaken. Social media might have historically been a young person’s game, but a new wave of influencers is paving their own way on social media, who are they? Granfluencers. Senior citizens who have been trying their hands on cooking, styling, modelling, dancing, etc. 

Senior citizens are staking their claim in the digital world. These senior citizens have become the new age influencers. DNA India spoke with a few such granfluencers to know what prompted them to join social media. 

“I started modelling and acting at the age of 57. Since I had overcome my depression and obesity, I wanted to do something. So, I started clicking a few selfies and made a few videos. I started uploading them on Facebook and then eventually, Instagram happened”, says Dinesh Mohan, a 65-year-old model and an actor, who has almost 300K followers on Instagram. 

Mohan says that the life on social media is his alternate life and that the uploading process, phone related things, videos, editing, uploading, adding music to it, comes absolutely naturally to him. 

At 61, Seema Anand breaks the stereotypes around sex education. Uploading videos around breaking sex myths has certainly brought attention to her Instagram account. 

At 82 and 76, Yashpal Verma and his wife Shanta post videos of their dancing and dressing up sessions. 

At 64, Manjri Varde, boasts of a colourful Instagram feed splashed with paints and at 65, Ravi Bala Sharma has become Instagram’s “Dancing Dadi”. 

“I was always passionate about dancing. I never showcased my talent on stage. I uploaded my first video on Instagram in 2020 during the lockdown. The video became viral and people started praising my dance”, says Ravi Bala Sharma.

While, “age is just a number” philosophy unites these new digital influencers, there were initial hiccups too. 

“I never wanted to come in front of the camera. I was hesitant that it would all go wrong”, says Sheela Bajaj, 79-year-old crochet artist, who says that the pandemic and consequent lockdowns induced her to start her page on Instagram. 

“I knit sweaters, and sheets for children. I also knit toys; bottle covers for children. I told my granddaughter to give me the old stuff that could be revamped. When I presented my crochet skills, she liked it and made my page on Instagram. My granddaughter, Yukti teaches me how to do everything on social media”, says Bajaj. 

The granfluencers have certainly made grand entries on social media and they are here to stay.