Mrinal Kanti Banik
As the one of most downloaded entertainment apps ‘TikTok’ and ‘Likee’ got banned in India amidst the ongoing tension between India and China, a group of Tripura’s indigenous youths picked it up as an opportunity to introduce the state in the digital sphere with a substitute to the Chinese apps. The app designed by them named- ‘E-Ntertain’- would be available in Google play store within few days.
Subhrajit Debbarma and his team, popularly known as VU Tiprasa, the stage name of their official Kokborok band, had developed a unique app equipped with all the entertainment aspects that ‘TikTok’ used to have.
Speaking on the issue, Debbarma said, ‘the ‘TikTok’ was not only an app. It was a platform for many, which brought name and fame for many”.
“Hitherto unsung and unheard talents exposed themselves before the world and stole the limelight. Even some people doing some petty jobs used to have millions of followers on such platforms. And, after TikTok was banned, all of them had nothing to showcase their art. Thus, we had thought to come forward with an alternative and E-Ntertain came up”, he said.
Apart from Subhrajit, Chamin chakma, Aditya debbarma and Pohor Debbarma also remained instrumental in giving the app a decent look and feel. The team, as they said, designed the app in the last couple of months and tried to make it released in the middle of the Covid 19 situations so that people could stay home and remain busy in entertainment.
“We have chosen this time because the world is going through a tough time due to the Covid 19 and the global economy is undergoing a slump. In this period people have no work, retrenchment becomes a daily issue, global market businesses record a dip leaving people in dismay. Adding up to their problems, when the government of India has banned all the Chinese apps, specifically platforms like TikTok , Likee and many more musical apps, people have started becoming more stressed ”, the team said.
“So we thought to bring and to develop a new app like TikTok and Likee to entertain people and also to give them a right platform where people can showcase their talents, where they can improve their acting skills, inspire and motivate people. The other big reason is also to come up with our own Indian app in our country to fill the vacuum in digital space”, Debbarma and team said.
As of now, the app has already crossed 1,500 downloads mark. After crossing a certain number, it would be cleared for Google play store. Now, the downloads are being done through link sharing. The attempt, however, assumes huge significance at a point of time when the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” has been set as a goal.
# Mrinal Kanti Banik may be contacted at mrinalbanik168@gmail.com
