Name : Drasti Chauhan
- Born: 28 June 1997
- Marital Status: Single
- Parents: Mr. Narendra Chauhan (Father), Mrs. Jyotika Chauhan(Mother), Ms. Anjali Chauhan ( Elder Sister)
- Height: 5 feet and 4.5 inches
- Citizenship: Indian
- Languages Known: Hindi, English, Gujarati
- Current Location: Bangalore
- Awards / Achievements: I am a published author. I got my two books published. I was 12 years old when I got my first book published. I was also recognized by the Times Of India for one of the top 20 speakers from Ahmedabad. Along with this, I have been interviewed for a few of the known national newspapers and famous magazines.
Book Cover of “Hurrah! We go to the crystal cave” – Written By Drasti Chauhan at the age of 12.
Featured in Times Of India
Important Features:
Featured On Ajio.com
Featured on the cover page of The Swag World 2019 Calendar
Social Handles
Instagram | Facebook | Youtube | Blog
Childhood
OI: Where did you grow up?
DC: I was born and brought up in Kutch, Saurashtra Gujarat, India
OI: What were your best / worst subjects in school?
DC: I pretty much like all the subjects. I was a quiet padhaku bachha…yeah but maths was a little bit …you know at times …like you goof up somewhere like it was not a love-hate relationship with maths but you can say ….it bothers me sometimes.
OI: What was your favorite game?
DC: I am good at badminton
OI: What’s your most embarrassing childhood memory?
DC: I can’t really think of one right now.
OI: What were you like as a kid?
DC: I was a complete extrovert kid.
OI: What was your favorite toy?
DC: I don’t really like toys, I mean I love reading and since childhood, I am into reading, so you can say that I love books more than toys.
General
OI: What advice would you give your younger self?
DC: To be a little more patient at times as it is the best way to maintain your sanity.
OI: What do you do to keep yourself presentable? One makeup thing you can’t step out without?
DC: I am fond of yoga and dancing and actually I do a lot of things to keep myself fit. Regarding makeup, I am obsessed with lipsticks. Not a fan of full makeup face but lipstick is the one thing I can’t live without.
OI: Do you actually feel any pressure to look presentable always?
DC: That’s the thing I don’t try for as it comes from within. So I actually don’t do anything to look presentable. Looking presentable is something a major part of my life to boost my confidence.
OI: What is your go-to outfit?
DC: I am quite a dressy kind of person so casual is definitely not my style, I always dress properly, so dresses are one love for me.
OI: When you go out, do people recognize you?
DC: Yeah It happens, sometimes people do come to my family members and tell them that we follow her and we have heard about her.
OI: If you weren’t famous, what would you be up to right now?
DC: I would definitely be what actually I am doing right now as along with many other things I am already an engineer which I always wanted to be. So I would definitely be an engineer, and right now I am living my dream. But back then I wanted to be an astronaut, but yeah engineering is the thing I am quite happy.
OI: So drasti as you are a published author and have two books, tell us something about your books. What they are all about?
DC: So the books are all about children fiction. I wrote to them when I was a 12 year old so you can imagine how a twelve-year-old mind works. I got the inspiration from one of my classmates, a boy who was from England and he got his book published, and I thought if he can do it, why not me; I mean he is also of the same age so that little instance made me realize the potential within me, I just tried it and actually got success.
OI: How would someone get your special attention?
DC: I really like people who are good at communication, like I love people who are really good at expressing themselves.
OI: What do you like doing in your spare time?
DC: I am basically like being busy, so on weekends or in the spare time I do what I actually Like to do its like work but no work kind of thing. On weekends or in the spare time I like to shoot, brand collaborations. It actually works for me as a stress buster.
OI: What would you like to be remembered about you?
DC: Just want to be remembered as a good person.
Whats Your Favorite
OI: what is your favorite movie?
DC: I am not much into movies, but like all the movies that actually have a story.
OI: What sports do you enjoy watching?
DC: Not actually much into sports.
OI: What sports do you enjoy playing?
DC: Badminton
OI: What is your favorite song?
DC: I like Spanish songs… and any song that has dance tunes.
OI: What is your favorite place to eat?
DC: I am not a foodie -foodie so if given an option I would prefer Ghar ka khana. I am like jeene ke liye khana padta hai types girl. Not at all a foodie person.
OI: What are your favorite clothes?
DC: It depends on my mood actually but generally I really love dresses.
OI: The gift you hate/love most?
DC: I appreciate all gifts but sports things I least like, and lipsticks are my all-time favorite, I have a major obsession for that.
OI: Your favorite YouTuber?
DC: Mimi Ikonn. I actually started blogging because I wanted to start a youtube channel, and she was the one who is my inspiration.
OI: What is your favorite color?
DC: Black is forever favorite.
OI: What is your favorite time pass?
DC: Dancing and looking at myself in the mirror and doing nothing.
Funny
OI: Would you date a fan?
DC: No …I don’t think so.
OI: What would you change your name to?
DC: Aisha
OI: What is your biggest / weirdest fear?
DC: Biggest fear is the fear of losing myself in the process of doing everything. I mean people change to get something I mean if it happens for good than its fine but not in a degrading manner.
OI: What would be your superpower?
DC: I want to have all the tags in me I mean I just want to do everything I am good at.
OI: What pet do you love to have?
DC: In my house …it’s a big no …I don’t at all like it from the hygiene point of view too.
OI: Which fictional character would be the most exciting to meet in real life?
DC: I would love to meet characters from “The Secret Seven” and “The Famous Five”.
OI: What is the best /worst purchase you’ve ever made?
DC: Anything that I buy for others is my best purchase and worst ones are all the impulsive purchases that I made.
OI: what’s your biggest screw up in the kitchen?
DC: Not at all fond of cooking.
OI: What is the worst commercial you have recently seen?
DC: Fairness cream ads that promise to makes your 2-3 shades lighter.
OI: One thing you are obsessed about?
DC: Lipsticks
OI: What’s the weirdest question you’ve been asked?
DC: Oh …you are a Gujarati but you don’t look like…..like do they come with a tag.
OI: Are you a bathroom singer?
DC: No. Not at all.
Your Perception towards life
OI: What things in life are still a mystery to you?
DC: I would love to know the reality of the concept of rebirth.
OI: What things in your life would you give up instantly if it got you to an even better place than you are now?
DC: Sometimes it happens that you get too attached to someone/something, but it is important for us to get out of our comfort zone.
OI: On what do you spend the most: clothes, accessories, perfumes, innerwear, or anything else?
DC: I am more into savings so I really don’t spend unusually. I always buy important things.
OI: Do you believe in love at first sight?
DC: Complete crap. hahaha…
OI: Which life would you prefer for your children: Stardom / simple one.
DC: Definitely simple one.
OI: How does it feel to stay away from home and parents.
DC: I am a Cancerian like they have a tough outer shell but they are actually cry-baby.
OI: Give yourself 5 adjectives?
DC: Boss Babe, conversation initiator, self – made, free spirit and happy-go-lucky person.
OI: What makes you smile and what scares you the most?
DC: I really do everything with my wholeheartedness and when people appreciate it I really like it…and fear is losing myself is my biggest fear.
OI: What is your greatest strength and weakness?
DC: My biggest strength is I really don’t rely on people for anything. I am quite self- sufficient. And of course, the family is my biggest weakness.
General Professional
OI: For the people who don’t know about you, can you tell us a little about yourself and your blog?
DC: People actually don’t get the concept of being good at multiple things at a time. Like I am a technical person, I am a software engineer and a blogger, and a YouTuber too; so people generally think that I am not serious for either of the things, for such people I actually want to say that there are people who are good at everything and can manage multiple streams at a time. I am a hustler and I do it because I want to do it.
OI: Is being a YouTuber your profession?
DC: I consider myself an entrepreneur as I do many things that I do for myself too. I mean I work for others but simultaneously I work for myself too, I do many things that I do on my own and thus I can say that entrepreneur is the one category into which I fall cumulatively.
OI: How, when, and where you shot your first video?
DC: I guess its way back in December 2018.
OI: How you edit your videos and photos?
DC: For pictures, it is snap seed and for videos its photo director, these two are enough and instead of this we all have amazing filters.
OI: How you find photographers and videographers? Are they always paid or collaborate?
DC: I don’t pay to photographers with whom I work for the first time. And for the ones with whom I am working repeatedly, they are sometimes paid and sometimes cross-collaboration.
OI: What projects are you currently working on?
DC: Well I have few shoots planned in Ahmedabad, one is a chalk studio – a footwear brand and The Swag World – a jewelry brand. With the swag world this is the second collaboration I was featured on their calendar also and this time also I am shooting for them.
OI: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What are your plans for the same?
DC: I am really looking for something major change that will leave people astonished that Drasti is doing a totally different thing, which no-one has ever thought about it.
Bloggers / Youtubers
OI: How do you maintain editorial objectivity with the influx of brand briefs?
DC: It depends on the brand that if I really want to work with the brand I follow their instructions along with this I also consider the establishment of a brand like if they are in the position to pay us and still they want to work on barter basis I really never give them a second thought as they are in a position to pay us but if there is any new brand I definitely work on a barter basis.
OI: How you approach brands?
DC: Initially when I started I dropped mails to brands with my social handles since after so many years I get deals from brands and PR agencies.
OI: How long you took to get brands to contact you?
DC: 2 years
OI: What was the first paid deal?
DC: Dineout
OI: How long you took to get first paid brand deal?
DC: Approx 2.5 years.
OI: Lowest money paid by any brand (amount)?
DC: 5000/-
OI: Highest money paid by any brand (amount)?
DC: 10000/-
Youtube / Blogging Business
OI: Is it true that youtube stars/bloggers are paid well and youtube/blogging is a lucrative business platform?
DC: I started earning after 2 years, although I don’t work full time as a blogger, looking at the financial securities I don’t suggest anyone be a full-time blogger. This industry is quite unpredictable like right now I have 12-15 collaborations and for the next 6 months might be I have no brand on board, also you are quite replaceable like you might be working very well and in next 10 days, someone will replace you may be because the new one will charge low amount and you will be replaceable.
OI: Weirdest brand brief/request ever?
DC: There was an apparel brand that approached me for the shoot and said they will not be paying me but will be giving me 5-6 garments and I have to shoot for them and then need to courier the garments back to them. And I was like why would I do then, like no money no products why would I do then. And after insisting much the other person was like I can pay you 100 bucks for picture and I was like dude I ‘ll give you 100 bucks for not texting me another time.
OI: One thing you are proud of related to your work?
DC: Everything I do I am really proud of, as I have done everything on my own I have to learn things on my own I am a self-learner.
OI: What are your plans to attract people who are not yet your audience?
DC: Probably would like to get more collaborations and get featured on their websites to increase my reach.
OI: From ideation to execution please take us through the process of creating one video/ blog/photo post? How do you stay relevant and relatable?
DC: I decide first on my outfits, then locations then look, and usually I work with the same photographer as the same person know my angles, know my working style. It’s a long term process and includes a lot of hustles for just one picture.
OI: How do you negotiate your commercial collaborations?
DC: I have my media kit where all rates are mentioned, also depending on the brand and my interest in brand collaboration I negotiate….hahaha
OI: What are the alternate monetization methods you would suggest to upcoming bloggers?
DC: The major one is only brand collaboration.
OI: How do you plan to take it to the next level?
DC: I will never take it as my full-time profession, professionally I am an engineer and I want to grow cumulatively as a blogger, engineer, author, and many more I just want many things in my bucket.
Blogger / Youtuber to A Business person
OI: Any plans for any venture regarding entrepreneurship? Which line you wanna start?
DC: I would love to start my own venture. Since I have immense love for lipsticks I would probably start a lipstick brand of my own.
OI: How you thought about the venture?
DC: This is born out of pure love for lipsticks, as of now this is just a thought, nothing started on the ground.
OI: How you manage your job, the blogging thing, and being an MC all together?
DC: Well that is actually a huge task, you need to be extremely disciplined and focussed. When I was in college and had to shoot for brands I usually wake up early in the morning at around 4.30 am then get ready, pack my outfits, make-up footwear and accessories and rush to the location max to max around 6.00 am. Usually, I pick a location near to my college and also select a photographer from my college. I used to complete my shoots latest by 9.00 am and then rush to college. Now since I am into the job and have long working hours now I mostly shoot on weekends. It is been a long -long time, I actually don’t remember I have ever enjoyed the holiday. I am working everyday, blogging, shoots, job, writing books, hosting events (Emcee), and many more things, I am doing simultaneously.
OI: Does your family support your business? Are they supporting from starting? How they are involved/ encourage you?
DC: Always I am extremely lucky, the amount of trust they have in me that is like nothing I can’t express the feeling to have a family like this they are extremely supportive.
Final Question
If you get a chance to start your life all over again, what would you do and Why?
DC: I would live the life in the same way hahahahaha…..no regrets.
Follow: Drasti Chauhan
Instagram | Facebook | Youtube | Blog
-Story Covered By: Saloni
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Drashti is super talented, great to see her going this far! proud