Riding in saree

Lekshmi C Pillai started her auto-mobiles channel less than a year ago. However, she has enamoured viewers with her elegant style and simple explanations
Lekshmi C Pillai
Lekshmi C Pillai

KOCHI: For Lekshmi C Pillai, the pandemic offered new beginnings. The content writer at an advertisement agency, an ardent pet lover, and an organic farmer started a completely new endeavour last November — an auto review channel on YouTube.

Her channel ‘CarKadua’ has taken the world of motorheads by storm. Picture this, a 45-year-old woman in an elegant saree that matches the colour of the vehicle, explaining the many features of her subject in pure Malayalam. Her channel and her content are visually arresting not just because she is one of the rare women-led auto review channels in Kerala.

“The pandemic had given me a lot of free time as work was also slow. So, I thought, why not start a YouTube channel. However, I wanted it to be different. Being an avid driver for more than 20 years, the choice was easy,” says Lekshmi. “It was also an opportunity to flaunt my saree collection,” quips the auto lover. However, she explains her choice for attire that has so many fans along with her auto reviews. “In truth, I decided to wear sarees because, at that time, I didn’t know any woman-led auto channel.

Women drivers have always been joked about and discriminated against for years. We are always considered bad drivers. Even if we drive well, the jokes follow us everywhere — even in popular media and movies. So, I decided that I will unapologetically be a woman while handling all the vehicles,” she explains. Lekshmi says she knows of only two more woman automobile reviewers from Kerala. 
What took her by surprise was the unexpected welcome she received from her viewers.

“I was scared initially. However, within a short while, I got many regular followers. And it was a proud moment when I got the chance to participate in the national test drive of Citroen, a French brand, in India. I was the only woman to attend it from Kerala on the ride from Kochi to Athirapilly,” Lekshmi explains. Within less than a year she has garnered more than 8,000 subscribers with some of her videos receiving around 50k views. 

Though Lekshmi used to drive for more than two decades, she didn’t use to study the features of cars in minute details. However, now she spends the better part of her days researching every aspect of the vehicle she is about to review. Be it a car, a Royal Enfiled motorcycle, or an electric scooter, she goes all out on her research. “When people buy a new vehicle, they need to know even the minute details, even about the cup holder in the car. Being from a middle-class family, the price range is the most important detail for me along with comfort. But I want the vehicle to look well as well,” says Lekshmi.

SHORT YET ON FIRE
Lekshmi explains that while starting the channel, her only worry was her height. At 4 ft 10 inches, she stands small among the big SUVs and motorcycles. Though she laughed away her worries. “I realised while sitting inside a vehicle, you don’t realise how big it is. As all vehicles now come with adjustable seats and steerings, I didn’t have to worry at all. The drive is always smooth. The only slight problem is managing my saree,” she quips. Though she doesn’t know how to ride bikes, she is not reluctant to review them with the help of professional riders. 

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