Food or Drama? The Truth Behind Vlogging - GetBengal Story

Do food vloggers love “controversy” more than food? Or is their favorite dish actually “abusive language”? While scrolling facebook, you’ll see — every few seconds a biryani video pops up. Not just biryani, there’s pulao, fish,chicken, mutton, royal platters, street parathas, fried rice combos and more. Some vloggers dance while holding a whole goat, others mimic the bleating of lambs! Reviews usually mean: how soft the meat is, how much ghee was poured, how big the pieces are, how spicy the gravy looks, and whether it’s unlimited. For many, this has become the definition of food vlogging.

Because of vloggers, new “dadas,” “didis,” and “kakus” rise online every day. They trend for a while, then fights begin. One didi vs another, one dada vs the next — often staged by vloggers themselves. Quarrels bring more views. In many food vlogs, everything is there except actual food reviews. Some vloggers cover only a handful of shops. Many switch to Hindi when excited, shouting “O bhai saab!” after seeing ghee being poured. They don’t just eat, they devour — in true Bengali style of “daba-ke khaaye”.

Still, there are exceptions. Some eateries have grown popular because of vloggers. People are finding cheap and tasty food spots. Unknown dishes are being discovered. Viewers learn what’s available where, how much it costs, and even food history.

Food vlogging is now a career for many youngsters. Hundreds of new channels start every day. Why is it booming? Does it affect society negatively? And does food vlogging even have its own grammar? To understand, I spoke with some of Bengal’s popular food vloggers.

Indrajit Lahiri, better known as Foodka, says: “People want acceptance on social media. That’s why food vlogging is growing. Investment is low, returns can be decent. So it’s natural. Food vlogging doesn’t really have a definition. For me, blogging and vlogging are two different mediums.” His blog Mahamushkil is still active. On current trends, he says: “Vloggers make what people watch. If we stop watching cringe, cringe won’t be made. It’s demand and supply. Many restaurants survive because of vloggers — whether it’s big names or unknown channels.”

Sharmila Basuthakur of Food Farishta says young people choose food vlogging because they want to be popular quickly. “Food becomes popular easily. But authenticity and research are often missing. Views and income take priority. That’s why food vlogging is rising. It brings fast success,” she explains.

On fights and shallow content, she says: “If you want to do food seriously, you must study its history. That takes time and focus. Not many have that, though some do. If done sincerely, it will last. If not, it becomes poor documentation. That’s the negative side.” She adds: “Many Bengali restaurants repeat the same few dishes — aloo posto, malai curry, mutton with potato. Authenticity is missing. Bengal has endless recipes. With proper research, vloggers could share the true diversity of Bengali food with the world.” She also mentions positive examples like Pushprani and rural homemakers who share authentic Bengali cooking with global audiences.

Dip, from 100 & Above, says: “There’s no grammar in food vlogging. Everyone does it in their own way. That’s their identity.” He adds: “It’s easy to start. Minimal setup, low cost. Many students and people from different backgrounds can try. Some even vlog without eating, just talking about food stalls. Passion isn’t always the reason — often it’s necessity.”

Food reviews are missing from most vlogs today, replaced by drama and quarrels. Dip says: “Negativity sells everywhere. The audience drives this. Algorithms keep pushing similar content. Real reviews cost money, and many vloggers can’t afford it. So they create drama instead. The problem isn’t new — it was always there.”

He notes that Bengal’s food vlogging audience is mostly lower-middle-class or poor. In villages, street food dominates. Circumstances shape the content.

Soumyajit Ghosh of Zerowatt started food vlogging in 2019. Inspired by YouTube’s growth, he began with his mother’s cooking. “Bengalis are emotional about food. My videos connected with people worldwide. They write to me saying they miss their mother, their country, their city. Food has that power,” he says.

He adds: “People watch food content more than anything else. That’s why many who want to be models or lifestyle vloggers turn to food. But to really do it, you need passion. I wanted to highlight home cooking by mothers, aunts, grandmothers. That was my idea.” He says even children watch his videos and eat better because of them.

On trolling, he says: “Everyone on social media gets trolled. People think vloggers eat for free — that’s not true. Sometimes food is free for promotion, but mostly we pay. Trolls don’t matter. If it bothers you, step away.” His advice: “Stop obsessing over biryani and mutton curry. Explore more. That way, the work won’t feel boring, and audiences will benefit too.”

The truth is clear: many want quick fame and easy success, so they turn to food vlogging. To satisfy viewers, vloggers stage rivalries and food fights. But the audience plays a big role too. As viewers, it’s up to us — will we be conscious, or will we simply follow the crowd?

To read the original Bengali article, click here.