Best of Weekender: Conversations with Abhilash Thapliyal, Qoini, and breaking technology discrimination

In the second week of April, YS Weekender brought to you stories of music, entertainment, and travel.

Here are the top stories by YS Weekender from the week that was:

As a content creator, I want to spread more smiles and less frowns: actor and comedian Abhilash Thapliyal

Radio jockey, actor, comedian, host, and a behroopiya (impressionist), Abhilash Thapliyal rose to fame during the COVID-19 pandemic for his roles as JD Saab, Muffler Man, and Journalist. Popularly known for his role as the ‘Muffler Man,’ a spoof on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Abhilash has over 27,000 followers. Abhilash’s satirical videos to address prevalent political tensions and issues, with a comical twist, is a huge hit with his fans.  

Taking social media by storm, Abhilash recently did a one-of-a-kind photo shoot, Objectification Reversed. It challenges prevalent mindsets through visual provocation, and addresses the issue of the objectification of women.  

In a recent interview with YS Weekender, Abhilash talks about his first gig, being politically correct, making it big in the entertainment industry, and Objectification Reversed.

[YourStory Reviews] Coded Bias sheds light on tech discrimination, and what’s wrong with powerful algorithms

Shalini Kantayya-directed documentary Coded Bias asks the important question of what the future of society would look like in the constant presence of analytics and technology. It shifts the focus from humans being in awe at the wonders that analytics and technology can do to the terrifying long-term effects of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). 

Originally premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, Coded Bias released on OTT platform Netflix on April 5. It features the work of researchers Joy, Deborah Raji, Meredith Broussard, Cathay O’Neil, Zeynep Tufekci, Silkie Carlo, Timnit Gebru, Virginia Eubanks, and Safiya Umoja Noble, among others.

Read the full review on YourStory Reviews.

Delhi-based rapper Aditya Guglani traces his journey from being an introvert to Qoini

Aditya Guglani — popularly known by his stage name Qoini — is a Delhi-based songwriter, rapper, and entrepreneur. Starting his creative career in the hip-hop world at the age of 14 as a writer, Aditya incepted Qoini (or ‘Koi Nahi’ in Hindi) in 2017.

"The reason I chose Qoini was because I believe that to become something you have to start from nothing. To be somebody you have to realise that you are a nobody. The word “Nobody” when translated into Hindi is “Koi Nahi.” I tried to make it look cooler by writing it as Qoini," Aditya tells YS Weekender.

Aditya’s latest single, Ghissey Jootey, released in early 2021, is an outcome of self-isolation and personal loss during the COVID-19 lockdown. In a recent conversation with YS Weekender, Aditya talks about his journey, his inspiration, and the story behind Ghissey Jootey.

This NIT-IIM alumnus gave up his cushy job to travel and now sells his content to OTT platforms

Founded by Abhishek Vaid, Gurugram-based Untravel Media is a travel media production house, which focuses on creating theme-based story-driven travel series. The media house creates content for both its own channels and TV networks and OTT platforms, including the likes of Zee5, EpicON, and ShortsTV. 

"Travelling today has just become ticking places off of a list. Everyone wants to take pictures of the same handful of places. But if the only thing we remember from our trip is the photos we took, have we really travelled? Go out for new experiences, to make new friends, or even better — to find a new self. Because for every mile we travel, there is more to go,” Abhishek says.

Its latest production series, Melody Miles, is a musical quest of two travellers on a road trip through the hills of south India in search of immersive experiences and inspirations for writing a travel song.