This is part 2 of our conversation with my cousin sister, Taran Bhela, a make up artist in the Greater Toronto Area, known as @beautybybhela.
Getting popular online comes up with many positives; it's why so many people get into it, however not many people talk about the other side of it where it can be dark and creepy.
Taran isn't a celebrity by any means, however, she's had some interesting experiences, particularly a man who followed her home one day. This was of course shocking and tough to deal with for her, but she's now more aware of how this could happen and the outcome could have been much worse.
We also go over how it was for her growing up with strict Punjabi parents, and how what she has learned from that experience that she can share with others. Many children of all cultures may grow up with strict parents and may relate.
It's not uncommon for people to be best friends with someone only to cut ties with them as time goes on. Taran shares her experience with this and how she is more aware of the friends she spends the most time with, and the importance of family.
Indians get a lot of hate online, but it's not just us. Taran has friends that are muslim and while visiting Dubai, to support her friends she decided to fast one day for Eid. The comments she received on her post for this, from Punjabi people, was unacceptable and not what being Sikhi stands for.
There is a lot of things that don't get spoken about enough in our community, and we felt bringing Taran to speak about her upbringing and life experiences since would be good for others to hear.
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Taran Bhela speaks about her journey as a Punjabi influencer navigating social media fame in our community. We discuss the reality of being a content creator, from getting recognized in public and having to deal with people having no boundaries, and the responsibility that comes with being a role model.
Our conversation covers a serious stalking experience where someone followed her home from a grocery store, highlighting the importance of social media safety and women's safety. Being recognized and getting public attention has changed her daily life as a Punjabi influencer.
Growing up with strict parents in Punjabi culture, we talk about her journey toward independence and breaking free from a strict upbringing. She shares how desi family expectations in her early years played a role in her development and how she eventually found balance between honouring her culture and living authentically.
Taran also shares a story about a friendship breakup and toxic friendships she had, talking about fake friends and the challenge of maintaining organic relationships while dealing with social media fame. Her long term relationship breakup becomes a story of healing after breakup, self-discovery, and rediscovering self through personal growth and emotional resilience, which many people experience.
Another topic we cover is cultural acceptance when she discusses supporting her Muslim friends during Ramadan, facing hate comments about religious tolerance, and maintaining cultural respect despite online criticism. We address the lack of female role models in the Punjabi community and influencer responsibilities toward female empowerment.
As a makeup artistry professional managing brand collaborations, she explains the social media impact on her content creation journey and dating in 2025. We discuss mental health, emotional strength, and the social pressure that comes with celebrity status while maintaining authenticity and being human first.
We talk about how there is also a gap between influencer expectations versus reality, the balance between online fame and privacy, and how she uses her platform for inspiration while staying true to her values and maintaining positivity despite the challenges of being an influencer.