Kareema Barry went viral along with the virus in 2020. She woke up one day during the pandemic and discovered she was an Instagram star. Until then she was just a girl with a funny bone, making her friends laugh with her penchant for irony. She didn’t think she’d actually spring to fame when she mentioned on her #UntilTomorrow Instagram challenge that, if it went viral, she would keep it on for far longer than 24 hours.
It did.
So who is Kareema Barry?
The 23-year-old from Kolkata, who attended Welland Gouldsmith School and The Heritage School in the city, has now graduated from Hindu College, University of Delhi. Before the pandemic and the wave of insta-fame. Kareema wanted to be a journalist, but she’s already found a way to make a difference in this world. “I am lucky to have a voice that is heard and recognised by many people. But with this comes responsibility, as I have the opportunity to influence people and their thoughts,” she says, with a clarity of thought that belies her age.
Kareema Barry’s signature satire comprises irreverent hyperbole and vivid metaphors — tools she uses to point out uncomfortable truths. You’ll find yourself laughing out loud sometimes, and at other times you might giggle nervously, as though she isn’t talking about you, yes you, she’s looking at you and your privilege.
Unable to return to Kolkata during the first phase of the lockdown, Kareema took to social media, rerouting her angst into comic relief, taking potshots at the self-absorbed. She created different personas for different purposes — popular favourites include hot-aunty-Sushmita who was created during the fateful #UntilTomorrow “challenge”, young, rich Samaira-h who couldn’t believe she had to do the dishes during the pandemic, and some “woke” boys we’ve all known. In fact, we’ve met them all these characters, they might even be our friends!
Insta bio: 'I crack jokes sometimes'
Kareema has now been signed by talent agency Fetch India and works with creative director, Santu Misra. She’s been signed for Netflix projects and found herself in a photoshoot for Harper’s Bazaar, advocating thrift clothing. The 134K followers on her page and frequent flyer benefits might have left Kareema a little more sleep-deprived but also astonishingly grounded. “This life has given me stability in a lot of material ways,” she admits, while also confessing that her mother makes it known that an M.Phil degree is more impressive than a legion of faceless followers. Even though she’s often recognised at the airport these days and gets stopped for a selfie or three, she's inclined to not err on the side of arrogance. “I practice in the mirror for these moments,” she says with a straight face; it’s hard to tell if she’s joking or not.
In September 2021, she starred in the music video for Ashwin Adwani’s Jugnoo, but all she’d really rather talk about is how the Drums of Heaven, in the old Kolkata club we’re lounging in, is “so Calcutta-tasting”.
Youthful wisdom
If there’s something else her jet-setting life has taught her, it’s perspective. “In Bombay, it’s always ‘let’s go-let’s go’. They’re always on the go even if they're chilling. In ‘Cal’, it’s always ‘ektu pore’,” she says, laughing about how her dad needs a week’s heads-up if she wants him to arrange for a driver. Kareema thinks about Kolkata a lot when she’s away. “I think this whole city is based on nostalgia, which is why 15-year-old kids are sitting on terraces having plum cake and tea during Christmas… this is not what teenagers do in other cities, you know!” It’s also the city where boys are happy to pick a girl up for date night. “It’s definitely a Kolkata thing. In other cities, they’re like, ‘you’re taking the metro, right? Cool.’ ”
Kareema Barry’s influencer tips:
Don’t lose yourself, it’s the reason people love you. I mean, this is a general life rule but consciously maintain your old friendships with people who’ve known you since before your influencer life started; it always feels like home
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Treat it like a full-time job if you want to be disciplined, because it is one!
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Will the real Kareema Barry please stand up?
There’s more than just slapstick comedy on Kareema’s page, though. One of the reasons she shot to popularity is because it’s much more than just Kareema; it’s many different people and sometimes simply concepts — think Job Market, Indian Colleges and everyone’s favourite guy, Privilege – that are allowed to speak here. “Feminism and social discrimination are the causes closest to my heart,” confirms Kareema who is already dealing with the expectations of being Insta-famous, fighting her own insecurities as she encourages others to overcome theirs. “I feel more empowered now, seeing the power of my own voice,” says the young comic star.
Her inspirations these days? Everyone she knows of course, though The Marvellous Mrs Maisel has been persuasive for her. “I’ve noticed pop culture is changing too and it’s made a difference even in my own family. As a generation we had more access to information with the internet, and so we learned fast,” says Kareema who likes to keep the videos unscripted so as to not lose the spontaneity which her audience loves. She decides on the title and the characters of her video and then takes it from there when the camera begins to roll. “I used to respond to my friend’s messages on WhatsApp with funny videos and they found it hilarious, so that’s the ethos I try to stick to.” And she does, even for paid partnerships.
If you scroll long enough, you’re likely to catch a glimpse of the real Kareema Barry as well, strumming her ukulele, her voice casting all songs in a Nancy Sinatra filter.