Vini Tandon Keni is a wife, mother, daughter-in-law, saree influencer, and comic content creator. She is a living example of how you can play these roles effortlessly with a smile. She gets her energies from her family. "They are extremely supportive, excited, and proud of me. They inspire and support me in every situation. Whenever we travel, they take my pictures, videos, etc. This keeps me going on," says Vini.
On April 14, 2023, her Facebook group ‘Saree Speak’ will complete seven years since its creation. Now you all might be thinking, what is so special about this group? Let me tell you, this is definitely special as because of this group, the definition of a saree for many women has changed. It all started when Vini thought about exploring her interest after she had an empty nest. First she created a Facebook group for movie buffs, Movie Speak. With time, she created several groups of art, shayari, etc. Around the same time she also started a group on sarees, ‘Saree Speak’.
Talking about her idea of ‘Saree Speak’, she recalls, "It was just fate. When my children were grown and gone to college, I decided to join a few saree groups that were popular at the time. I felt a connection with sarees, and I got this sudden liking for them. So I thought to convert this liking into a beautiful community with some positivity, and that is how Saree Speak started."
With time, the number of members of the saree group kept increasing, and people loved the idea of wearing it. She made lots of friends through Saree Speak, and they (the members) have together created a happy space. "Saree Speak has given them a reason to love themselves and feel good about themselves irrespective of age, class, and financial status," Vini says proudly.
Earlier, when we spoke about fashion, the first thing that came to mind was western outfits. Sarees were never considered to be fashionable. However, today, sarees have become a fashion statement. "Fashion or style is something that one is comfortable in and what comes naturally to the person, rather than copying the trend or being uncomfortable in what you’re wearing," Vini defines what fashion means to her.
Last year, about a thousand women wore sarees at the UK’s Royal Ascot horse race to help Indian weavers. That made headlines. Vini was also a part of it. "I think that the Britishers were proud that we decided to wear saree in their country and were happy to see us in the attire," she chuckles.
During the pandemic, everyone was trying to find themselves. Vini also discovered her new talent: making funny content reels. "Due to the pandemic, everybody was stuck at home. I made a few Tiktok videos with the family, and I discovered that I was not that bad at acting," she laughs.
Speaking about her liking for the comedy genre, she said, "I was already a little addicted to comedy. So I continued with the comedy, and I tried to attract attention to myself while wearing a saree. Because I wanted to make the saree more acceptable as daily and comfortable wear," she recalls. That’s how she became a saree influencer on social media.
Recently, she launched Studio Saree Speak. "I wanted to do something with the space I had closer to home. Since I always wanted to promote wearing sarees, I decided it was time to bring it all together. And my son’s prodding me on definitely helped making the decision," she mentions.
According to her, Studio Saree Speak is a one-stop shop for all saree solutions. There are many young girls or women who find excuses for not wearing sarees. They feel that wearing it is a hassle, and not everyone can do it. To tackle this, she came up with several unique ideas. "I am trying to combat all the excuses women make for not wearing a saree through my store," she adds. Her aim is to make sarees more than just an attire for occasional wear.
This is a story of a normal woman who just wanted to explore her interests. What makes her unique is her dedication and passion. We often make excuses for not following our interests. But what we forget is that sometimes following our interests without any expectations can lead to something good. That’s why we should try to find our interests and follow them. It may not work in your favour professionally, but it will definitely make you happy. So what’s your excuse for not following your interest?
