Saltafa X NMC
On the 29th of December, NUST Media Club hosted a live stream starring the popular meme page owner, Saltafa. Saltafa not only has a meme page (@saltafa) with a following of 147K, but his alternate pages also have a combined total of 38.7K followers. He gained popularity through niche memes targeted at mainly desi audiences of ages 12 to mid-20s. Since this is the most common age group of Instagram users, it did not take very long for him to gain a following that related to his posts. As of a year ago, he also runs his youtube channel with 10.6K subscribers and 65 videos.
The hosts entertained questions from the viewers regarding the guest’s various pastimes, from football to memes to youtube – after all, quarantine did provide us all with the opportunity to explore our interests. He started by mentioning two of his favorite Pakistani vloggers, Alina Hayat and Momina Munir, particularly emphasizing the creativity and amount of thought behind their videos. Also, for the football/soccer fans who may be interested, he supports the clubs Barcelona and Manchester United!
Moving on, Saltafa was asked if he had any advice for the upcoming creators and status of the entertainment industry in Pakistan, especially those who engage in content production on social media. He pointed out that till now, most creators were only targeting the vlogger/roaster category, and diversification was required for the industry to progress further. He added that as the industry was gradually being commercialized, it was a golden opportunity for more creators to come forward, as Pakistan has an abundance of unexplored talent. He also suggested that new creators can take inspiration from Indian ones, particularly for short skits and clips. The main takeaway from his counsel was to stay true to oneself because relevance is fleeting and one should find their niche, “instead of trying to emulate Irfan Junejo and Ducky Bhai”. Carrying on the topic of Pakistani creators, he acknowledged Humza Amin, referring to him as the David Dobrik of Pakistan, as a subtle nod to the big-budget content he puts out on the internet. The appreciation for the creator was easily detectable in Saltafa’s voice as he discussed the originality in the former’s videos and thoughts.
Towards the end of the stream, he shared some personal thoughts regarding coping with the occasional episodes of sadness and anxiety, saying that although he had several people he could rely on, it was easier for him to be there for people instead of opening up to them himself. The live stream ended with someone asking why Saltafa never slept, an acknowledgment of an inside joke between his followers, to which he responded with an outline of his schedule that no longer required him to be up very early. All in all, it was a lively stream and a particularly beneficial one for potential creators.
