Goan content creators Roshani Ramesh Marathe (@its_roshxni) and Prathamesh Pradeep Shirodkar (@.prathameshhh.) have turned the everyday Konkani phrase “maar zai tuka” into a recognisable brand on Instagram through their page @maar_zai_tuka. Posting daily comedy skits, the duo has built a steady following by showcasing relatable situations in a humorous way, all while juggling studies, work, and the challenges of social media content creation. They believe in keeping things simple and authentic, often adding a Goan touch that makes their reels stand out. What began as a fun experiment with short videos has now become a creative outlet that brings smiles to thousands, one skit at a time.
The start
Our journey began in 2023. We had been friends for a long time and decided to try making reels, focusing on comedy skits. We created characters of a boyfriend and girlfriend for the skits, even though in real life, we are just friends. Slowly, we started creating and posting content online, but in the beginning, we did not get many views or engagement. It was a struggle, but we kept posting regularly, trying to create our unique style so viewers could connect with us and enjoy our content. Over time, we noticed that our views and engagement were slowly increasing, which motivated us to continue our content creation journey. After a while, our views grew, and we began getting decent engagement on our reels.
The process
We take inspiration from everyday life. We observe our friends and family and try to adapt real situations into our skits. For example, if we see a couple at a market, we notice how they behave and interact, and if we find something that could entertain our audience, we include it in our skits to make them more relatable.
The challenges
We do not face major challenges, but time management can be difficult as we juggle college and work. Coordination is another challenge, as we need to find time when both of us are free to shoot reels. We manage this with a planned approach: Prathamesh looks after the skit concepts while Roshani handles editing. We shoot when convenient and create a bank of reels so that even if we cannot shoot on a particular day, we have content ready to edit and post. We try to post daily to maintain our engagement, but managing this consistently can be challenging.
Dealing with negativity
When we started, we received quite a bit of negative feedback. However, there was always someone who appreciated our content, and we realised that even if only 10 out of 100 people liked our reels, we would continue making content for those 10. This keeps us motivated. People would make fun of our looks, accents, or the way we acted, but we also have dedicated followers who truly enjoy what we create, and we focus on making content for them, knowing it may not appeal to everyone.
Brand deals
When we started, we had no idea that social media could have commercial potential for us. We simply wanted to create content we felt strongly about. As our following grew, people began approaching us to promote their products, services, or brands. Initially, we did not know how to handle these requests, but by observing what others were doing, we learnt to create unique, entertaining skits that gave brands exposure while keeping our audience engaged. Now, many brands approach us for promotions, and after spending some time in this field, we have learnt how to give them the best value for their money.
Future plans
We plan to continue creating content and bringing in more characters to make our skits more appealing and diverse, moving beyond just the boyfriend-girlfriend personas. We want to reach a wider audience while growing our Instagram page so that more people who enjoy our content can connect and relate to it.
Advice to newcomers
Our advice to anyone starting out in content creation is to remember that initially, there may be little growth in followers or engagement. It takes time for content to click with the audience, so it is important to keep going, no matter how slow the growth may feel. At some point, your page will start getting attention, and you need to be prepared to handle that growth and continue your journey. There will also be negative comments, but do not get discouraged. Believe in what you create, and your confidence will reflect in your content, attracting more viewers. It is important to trust your work and not let negative comments stop you from creating content.
