Dolly Singh: A Refreshing Colgate Smile Recently, Dolly has turned entrepreneur by launching her own exclusive candle collection with Rad Living.

Dolly Singh rose to internet fame when she starred with her co-actor Kusha Kapila in the 'South Delhi Girls' series for iDiva, where initially she was a stylist and writer. So popular were those funny videos at a certain point of time, that at every gathering of youngsters one would come across the question, 'Did you see that video?' The impetus she received led to her branching out on her own and becoming synonymous for her 'Raju ki mummy' videos. Now, Dolly has ventured into the movies and OTT space along with bagging big brand endorsements such as Colgate across metro billboards. She was seen in Double XL (2022), Modern Love: Mumbai (2022) and Bhaag Beanie Bhaag (2020). And now, the influencer has turned entrepreneur by launching her own exclusive candle collection with Rad Living.

Quirky is the word which comes to mind when we start browsing through the products, which comprises fifteen eclectic variations engraved with themes of manifestations and affirmations with titles such as '25 Din Mein Paisa Double', 'Saccha Pyaar' and 'Saste Nashe.' With such idiosyncratic names given to scents like sandalwood rose, green lush, almond shea, jasmine cedar, French lavender and chocolate rose, it's an variety which resonates with its founder. But the choice of product traces itself back to her childhood. Dolly's father sold candles in his gift shop in Nainital and her mother manufactured candles at home, with she and her brother chipping in as extra hands.

Her main forte, of course, is being a content creator, something which her solid 1.5 million Instagram following proves. But along with creating online content and posting life updates, it's integral to her that she strikes a balance by not checking her phone too often. Like when she's out with her friends, Dolly keeps away from her cell. "Whether you're a creator or not, screen time can consume you and it's essential to have a life away from your phone and is important not to document everything that you do," she says.

An interesting aspect is how her perspective towards the term 'influencer' has also changed over time. Before she wasn't very fond of it, as there was a shade of negativity that had attached itself to the term. Over time, however, Dolly has understood that stereotypes will always be there, but at the same time there are individuals like her who add value, even though some people think it's all fun and games.

Apart from making us laugh, Dolly also uses her large following to spread awareness on certain pressing issues, like mental health. "It's important for everyone to talk about mental health and therapy but for individuals like me there is an added responsibility to use our platforms for getting the message out. Of course, I'm one of the privileged ones, who has access to therapy and has friends who have been taking therapy. And I know even finding a good therapist is hard, but the more we talk about these things the more it will get normalised," she says, once again giving the much needed push to conversations around mental health.

The author can be reached at bkabir@entrepreneurindia.com and Instagram.com/kabirsinghbhandari