What happens when tradition meets technology? The answer is a “Digital Holi,” as more people in India choose to share their stories and happiness on short-video apps to celebrate the special traditional event, data shows.

Over the past few years, Holi, the festival of colors, one of the most celebrated festivals in India, is not only about immersing in an abundance of colors, but also a chance to share one’s enthusiasm on social media platforms and enjoy colorful, festive photos and videos.  

Data shows that on top of the traditional playing with colors, millions of Indian people are also digitally celebrating the festival. 

Holi-themed short videos in the Kwai app are trendy at the moment. Photo: Screenshot of Kwai

Kwai, the world’s leading short-video app, is flooded with countless festive videos to the backdrop of happy tunes. According to data released by Kwai, one day before Holi, more than 53,000 videos have been made using the app’s Holi features and colour effects, and more than 25,000 videos were posted under the hashtag #kwaiholi2020. 

Apart from using the app’s Holi features, several users are also attracted to the lucky lottery prizes worth INR 1 million on the platform. More than 80,000 people have participated in the activity to collect digital colors to win prizes including smartphones. The results will be revealed on March 16. 

Ekta Rai is among some of the most popular Kwai users on the platform who enjoy a digital Holi by posting videos of herself dancing surrounded by colors. She joined the platform in January and her short videos mostly feature dance moves, makeups and gym sessions. 

"Kwai embraces the multiple languages and diversity the country has to offer. The platform inspires me to create new content and spread it across to my follower-base," she said. 

Ekta Rai becomes popular on Kwai and she enjoys Holi videos on the platform.  Photo: Courtesy of Ekta Rai.

Joyeeta Sanyal is among Kwai’s popular faces and influencers enjoying the performance, music and colors in New Delhi. Photo: Courtesy of Kwai 

Gurman Singh is very happy with his fan-following after joining the platform, and he attributes his quick success on the platform to the rich regional content on the platform. 

"Unlike other platforms, Kwai has helped me gain around 50,000 followers in a short span of 2 months for my Punjabi centric videos instilling my faith that regional content is the new king! Thanks, Kwai!"

According to Rai and Singh, there’s a great variety of content within the app, where people will be able to find dancing, singing, comedy, food and beautiful men and women. And they’ll also find talents, professional skills, performances and many more. 

To them, Kwai is not only a platform for fun, but also a new way to learn other’s lives and stories, and even, a new way – instead of reading news – to keep people updated about what is going on around him.

Amid the recent coronavirus fear and cautions issued by health professionals, hundreds of creative videos about taking precautions, keeping personal hygiene and health tips were also posted by the users on the platform, where people are learning things like one more way to correctly wash hands which TV news might not teach.