The Subtweet – Vivek Shraya

Vivek Shraya nails what it is to live in the digital age.  Female friendship, already difficult to navigate IRL, becomes more fraught when the friends involved have a heavy social media presence.  Neela, an artist of exceptional talent and originality, remains underappreciated until Rukmini, a YouTuber, covers one of her songs. After the cover goes viral, Neela is launched into the spotlight alongside Rukmini, who has been a fan of Neela’s for a long time.  When Rukmini DM’s Neela and the two meet for coffee, a friendship is born.  As Neela fades into the background as the cover performer’s star rises, the two communicate more often over social media and their personal relationship becomes public, impersonal, and broken.  A spot-on snapshot of this moment in time.