Amrin Tasnim Jaima, from Bangladesh, shines brilliantly on social media, where laughter is often the best medicine. More commonly known as Jaimatea over the internet, the young content creator has captured the hearts of millions with her infectious sense of humor and genuine dedication to positively impacting the world around her. Jaima has made a name for herself, particularly among the younger generation, for her hilarious videos that tickle the funny bone of her followers on Instagram. During an exclusive interview with TINDS, she shared her story of becoming the internet sensation she is today.
TINDS: Let’s start with a little information about your childhood. Where were you born, and where did you grow up?
Jaima: I was born in Dhaka and have been here my entire life. I used to live in Panthapath before and have very recently transitioned to being a Gulshan, Banani person since I moved around here. I am the middle child of my family, and I have been through many crises. My wonderful family has always supported me creatively, and that’s how my childhood shaped me. I was always into cultural activities, dancing and acting in clubs and whatnot. I have always been a very outspoken and loud person. I studied at a missionary school and then went ahead and finished my college education at a military college. I later got admitted to North South University to study for a BBA, which I think is the most typical answer from anybody who has been a student at the university. I also work at 10 Minutes School as a project executive at sales.
TINDS: What three words would you choose to describe yourself?
Jaima: Outspoken, Loud, & Enthusiastic.
TINDS: When was the first time you started making videos? Tell us a little about the start.
Jaima: I think this occurred to me last year when I was working a job and studying in college. It was basically like a full-time job. I started my content creation back in 2021 with a video where I talked about Aurna Amin, a fellow junior from Mastermind School. I made a video addressing the issue and what had happened to her, and I figured people would listen to what I had to say. I thought I should make some more fun content since I was into acting in school and was even the president of the Cultural Club. I started posting regularly in 2022 and figured I was good at it. Initially, the reach and views were very limited, but I still had to make or post them.
TINDS: Tell us something about the very first video you’ve posted, if you remember.
Jaima: The very first video I posted was about the issue of Aurna Amin, which I mentioned earlier. I talked about social perspectives and how people often end up treating women as objects. Later, I moved on to making skits. The first was about a typical aunty from a wedding where I was just talking; there wasn’t much of anything involved, not even acting. Since my online name is Jaimatea, I started a series named Jaimatea Spilling Tea, where I would gossip about random things, and it gained a lot of attention very fast. The videos were very short in length—45 seconds or so—where I’d funnily talk about something very random that people relate to so well.
TINDS: You’ve won an award for Best Actress, according to your Instagram feed. Tell us a little about that.
Jaima: This happened a while ago, back when I was in school. Since I studied at a missionary school, we were only allowed to go to other missionary schools to attend festivals. We went to Saint Joseph, where there is a drama festival every year. We performed there, and that year, I performed on a script that my sister wrote, which was about politicians and how politicians promise you things that they never deliver. It was in a very funny setup, and I was the politician named Chunnu Mia. I dressed up as a boy with fake mustaches and a mole on my face. We did not win as a team. However, I got the award for being the best actor at the festival. I was handed the award by Mr. Tahsan Khan, the singer whom I had a huge crush on. It was apparently a little awkward, but it was one of the moments I got really inspired by, and since I was so young, it meant a lot to me as well.
TINDS: Would you consider being a professional actor and stepping into the industry someday?
Jaima: I don’t want to be a full-time actress since it’s a significant commitment. I suppose I’m making content and making myself known to the audience. I enjoy publicizing myself. Making others chuckle. I’m doing it online, but I don’t think I’ll become a professional actress. I’d definitely love to work on exciting projects with wonderful Bangladeshi filmmakers since there are so many amazing young rising directors in the industry.
TINDS: Would you like to be recognized as an influencer or a comedian?
Jaima: I have done stand-up comedy for three years now. I’m not the best at stand-up comedy, but I keep trying because it challenges me, and I want to make people laugh on stage. Someone calling me a comedian honors me, and I adore it. However, since I’m on Instagram, people keep confusing me with being an influencer, and the Bangladeshi community thinks only online artists who upload fashion content are influencers, which I don’t think I am. I make people laugh, and I often call myself a content creator.
TINDS: Have you had the opportunity to work with brands?
Jaima: I worked with Pathao recently. I limit my brand work for now. Every time a new content creator appears, companies try to sway them. Content creators work in a degrading and inexpensive environment. It’s awful that people don’t try to come to your grounds for the brand image on Instagram because you can obtain cheap labor. I collaborate with brands that promote community change, like an environmentalist brand, but I don’t like working with too many brands. They promote wooden brushes and items. I like eco-friendly things. I’ve dealt with many Bangladeshi brands so far, but I want to keep them to a minimum.
TINDS: How do you deal with the random online hatred of your content?
Jaime: First off, I never deal with them. I don’t think about them much because they’re not paying me, so yes. I work with comedy content, which is rather new in Bangladesh, and I think people prefer male comedians for some reason. Being the middle child, I have been bullied a little or so growing up, but people trying to get to me through the comment section does not really bother me much.
TINDS: Coming this far, what have you had to struggle with?
Jaima: Most importantly, people see you differently. People view you differently. My personality is outgoing. I like talking to people, but when I even entered university, I would notice people gossiping about me behind my back instead of talking to me. People think that since I’m an internet personality, I must be rude and arrogant, which is their initial thought. Also, women cannot perform male duties in our country. I was shocked and thought, It’s hard to be a woman because I’m from a family where being a female means being powerful. Women in our family usually spoke louder. If I asked my father anything, he said to talk to my mother. You can do that if she agrees. In my household, women always had a significant role. But when I entered society as a woman, I thought, Wow, this is different. I definitely struggled there as a content creator.
TINDS: What are your plans for the future?
Jaima: My Instagram will last as long as I live because I started making online content in 10th or 11th grade. I feel like I grew up with the internet, but since my parents and family work in Bangladesh’s educational sector, I want to help with vocational education. Making people more technically savvy is my goal. Underpaid workers lack the ability to excel in various fields. I want to work on people’s skills, especially vocational education, to make them technically sound, stable, and family-oriented. Jobs are hard to find in our country, but if you’re qualified, you can get a job or move to another country without being misled.
| Find Her
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaimatea/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgkXdnkRxYjb5pxvJHEmpRg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/JaimaTea-100092506542691/ |
