Bindu Cherungath is an Ardent lover of Movies and she is one of the bloggers I found who always have the smile on her face no matter where you find her in all Social media.
I have been watching Bindu Cherungath for last few years and have read few of her movie reviews and immediately became fan of her reviews. She touches every part of the movie and possess great creative skills (Her blog page is full of awards and rewards which shows her talent).
So without taking much of your time I hereby welcome Bindu Cherungath to share her thoughts in this interview.
Gurunath: Can you please introduce something about yourself and your blog to our readers?
Bindu Cherungath: First of all, let me thank you Guru for considering my profile for featuring on your blog as part of “Navratri Interview Series of Best Of Guru introducing 9 Indian Women Bloggers on this festive days”. I really feel privileged and honored.
About me, apart from my family and friends, both my profession and passion equally drive me. I am an Entrepreneur running my organization Insignia Solutions Private Limited since 2003 which is into Corporate Training (all sorts of attitudinal, behavioural and motivational training programs) and Organization Development Consultancy.
By passion, I am a blogger of movie reviews, mostly Bollywood movies, and at times, review Malayalam and English movies as well. You can check my blog at Lenzscope.
Gurunath: How d0 you ever involved into blogging? What inspired you to start your blog?
Bindu Cherungath: Being a movie buff, I always felt the need to express my thoughts and feelings about a movie. I had no clue, how to express myself and make my voice reach to people. That is how, I explored that blogging can be a great mode through which I can express myself. I started my blog in January 2014.
Gurunath: How important is the niche selection for a blog?
Bindu Cherungath: Although, blog gives one freedom to express on a broad range of topics, I feel, it is very important to have a niche selection for one’s blog. It is important to position one’s blog in a particular category.
I think, for almost more than a year, I just blogged about movie reviews. Off late, started participating in various contests or campaigns for bloggers and that is how, at times I do write about miscellaneous topics, but still, 95% of my blog is about movie reviews. I find it very challenging to write if something does not stimulate my senses. So, one must blog what intrigues them.
Gurunath: What should be taken into account for someone, who needs to take blogging as a full-time career?
Bindu Cherungath: Since I have not considered blogging as a full-time career, I don’t know, whether I would do justice to this question of yours or not. But yes, I have seen around me, there are so many wonderful bloggers, who earn their living out of blogging.
As I responded earlier, one needs to position his / her blog in a specific category and market appropriately. Social media has definitely made the tasks easier as far as the visibility of the blog is concerned. Excellent PR skills, Networking, making one’s presence felt through Social Media are the key things. I have found travel, food, lifestyle and tech bloggers doing extremely well as far as their blogging career is concerned.
Gurunath: How stiff is the competition in blogging and how did you overcome that? Any tips for newbie’s to follow the same spirit as you?
Bindu Cherungath: I really have no clue about the competition existing in the blogging world. I look forward to my fellow bloggers’ viewpoints about a movie. I also seek their opinion if I didn’t hear from them. I have not found any such competition.
For a newbie, I can say this much: Follow your heart and blog. Grow beyond the world of ‘likes’, ‘favorites’, ‘+1’ and ‘Retweets’. People will automatically connect to your blog and what you write. Keep doing your best. Start appreciating the blogs if you find them genuinely good. Gradually, develop your own network of bloggers, friends and readers.
Gurunath: What is the most frustrating aspect of blogging?Have you faced any such moments?
Bindu Cherungath: Blogging has liberated me. Blogging has healed me. It has never frustrated me. I enjoy every bit of blogging. But yes, blogging needs one’s time, energy, passion, interest, creativity.
Gurunath: Are you doing blogging as a hobby or a full-time career?
Bindu Cherungath: I am pursuing blogging as a hobby.
Gurunath: What are your other activities when you aren’t working on your blog?
Bindu Cherungath: As I told you earlier, my organization and its various activities of training and organization development consultancy keep me engaged. I travel extensively as part of my job. I have dedicated late evening hours for my blogging.
Gurunath: What were your challenging moments in your journey of blogging?
Bindu Cherungath: The only challenging moments in my journey of blogging is that I fall short of time. My work and travel keeps me busy most of the time. It has happened many times that I could not review movies even after watching it due to lack of the most valuable resource i.e. time. Other than this, I don’t find any challenge.
Gurunath: Did you have your family support and help in choosing blogging?
Bindu Cherungath: Oh yes, my family has always supported me in my dreams. So, when I started blogging, they do understand my passion behind it.
Gurunath: What types of promotional activities you do for making your blog live and active?
Bindu Cherungath: To be honest, I hardly do any promotional activities. But yes, getting associated with bloggers’ network via Indiblogger, BlogAdda, Blogmint has definitely helped me to make my blog reach to fellow bloggers and readers all across the globe.
Gurunath: How do you retain your existing readers and what steps you follow to do so?
Bindu Cherungath: One needs to be authentic as far as writings are concerned. When I review a movie, I don’t get influenced by even what my favorite movie critic’s ratings are about that movie. I try to transparently convey my thoughts and feelings about a movie. This authenticity helps me to stay connected with my readers and fellow bloggers.
Gurunath: Can you name few of your favorite bloggers and explain why they are your favorites?
Bindu Cherungath: There are many, who inspire me. One is definitely you, who is doing great blogging.
My favorite bloggers are:
- Vinay Nagaraju – www.inspire99.com
- Shivangi Sinha – www.shivangireviews.com
- Mohammed Murtaza Ali – www.apotpourriofvestiges.com
- Tennyson Thomas – www.moviesofthesoul.com
- Parnashree – www.traveldiaryparnashree.com
- Archana C Kapoor – mrskapoor.com
- Maniparna – www.maniparna5002.wordpress.com
- Manjulika – www.manjulikapramod.com
- Datta Ghosh Das – www.dattaghosh.blogspot.in
- Rohan Kachalia – www.ponderingtwo.blogspot.in
- Sanjay Thampy – www.sanjaythampy.blogspot.in
- Monish Chandan – www.monishchandan.wordpress.com and many more…
There are many tech bloggers also whom I really appreciate. The list is long.
Gurunath: Anything else you’d like to share with our “Best Of Guru” readers?
Bindu Cherungath: Keep the passion alive, enjoy every bit of blogging. Blogging comes up with lot of responsibilities since people do consider your opinion. So, it is important to stay true to one’s core self.
Gurunath: What is your feedback for bestofguru.net?
Bindu Cherungath: Your blog is definitely very good, covering blogging, technology, lifestyle etc. Keep rocking and blogging.
Thank you so much once again for interviewing me. Hope, your Navratri series of interviews becomes a huge success. Wish you all the very best for your blogging career.
Thanks to Bindu Cherungath for this beautiful interview and spending some time for us.
If any of you have any queries, please do ask in the comments below !
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Note: Stay tuned for next 7 interviews on this series which will be published daily until the end of the series.
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