TALENTED television star Mohit Daga has shown off his impressive range as a performer in popular drama serials like Bhaskar Bharti, Aise Karo Naa Vidaa, Bairi Piya and Ek Mutthi Aasmaan.
The Indian actor is always looking forward to the next challenge and hopes to test himself further with more complex roles.
Eastern Eye caught up with the versatile actor to discuss his career, inspirations and future hopes.
How do you look back on your acting journey in Indian television?
My journey has been very happy and great till now because I have got to learn many things from television and the industry has given me many things. There have been many ups and downs in my life. As an actor you are always hungry to get good roles and when that hunger doesn’t get fulfilled it can get difficult, but today, with God’s grace, I am still working in TV and am thankful to the fraternity.
Which of the projects is closest to your heart?
Love Story, produced and directed by Anurag Basu, is very close to my heart. I have many memories with Anurag da during that time, as we were newcomers starting out, and obviously, we remember our first thing. So, my first project is very close to my heart.
Which was the most challenging character you have played?
The truly challenging character is still yet to come. I want that challenging role that makes me work extra hard on myself and my craft.
Who has been the most memorable person you have worked with?
There is a very memorable person on every set, but if I have to choose one then it’s Shilpa Shirodkar. She was so professional and despite doing so much work was down to earth, which is something we can all learn from her.
What can we expect next from you?
You can expect a good role in a web series or films, as I am trying hard to get there. TV has given me so much, but the memory of television audiences is short term, so they forget. I want to do projects that will really be remembered, so am always searching for great work and that will continue.
What would you say is your dream role?
I don’t want to limit myself to one kind of role and want to show my versatility in all areas. I want God to give me a chance to play every type of character. Doing full justice to a well-written character is what all I pray for.
What genre do you prefer?
I prefer more rugged roles, but I am not at that stage where I can demand the kind of roles I want.
What do you enjoy watching as an audience?
I like any story that is fun and can keep me engaged. For an actor, every theatre is a classroom and each film or series is a lesson. So, whether it is a good or bad film, I will always watch it with a working eye to learn something from it.
What inspires you?
I get inspiration from each morning, day and scene. Each moment gives me a kick to take on a new and interesting challenge. Being able to work hard as an actor to change my voice, looks and emotions excites me, which in turn inspires me. Late great actor Irrfan Khan sir is also a great source of inspiration, in terms of the incredible work he did. I want to follow in his footsteps and will miss him always.
Jay's grandma’s popcorn from Gujarat is now selling out everywhere.
Ditched the influencer route and began posting hilarious videos online.
Available in Sweet Chai and Spicy Masala, all vegan and gluten-free
Jayspent 18 months on a list. Thousands of names. Influencers with follower counts that looked like phone numbers. He was going to launch his grandmother's popcorn the right way: send free bags, wait for posts, pray for traction. That's the playbook, right? That's what you do when you're a nobody selling something nobody asked for.
Then one interaction made him snap. The entitlement. The self-importance. The way some food blogger treated his family's recipe like a favour they were doing him. He looked at his spreadsheet. Closed it. Picked up his phone and decided to burn it all down.
Now he makes videos mocking the same people he was going to beg for help. Influencers weeping over the wrong luxury car. Creators demanding payment for chewing food on camera. Someone having a breakdown about ice cubes. And guess what? The internet ate it up. His popcorn keeps selling out. And from Gujarat, his grandmother's 60-year-old recipe is now moving units because her grandson got mad enough to be funny about it.
Jay’s grandma’s popcorn from Gujarat is now selling out everywhere Instagram/daadisnacks
The kitchen story
Daadi means grandmother in Hindi. Jay's daadi came to America from Gujarat decades ago. Every weekend, she made popcorn with the spices she grew up with, including cardamom, cinnamon, and chilli mixes. It was her way of keeping home close while living somewhere that didn't taste like it.
Jay wanted that in stores. Wanted brown faces in the snack aisle. It didn’t happen overnight. It took a couple of years to get from a family recipe to something they could actually sell. Everyone pitched in, including his grandmom, uncle, mum. The spices come from small local farmers. There are just two flavours for now, Sweet Chai and Spicy Masala. It’s all vegan and gluten-free, packed in bright bags that instantly feel South Asian.
The videos don't look like marketing. They look like someone venting at 11 PM after scrolling too long. He nails the nasal influencer voice. The fake sympathy. “I can’t believe this,” he says in that exaggerated influencer tone, “they gave me the cheaper car, only eighty grand instead of one-twenty.” That clip alone blew up, pulling in close to nine million views.
Most people don't know they're watching a snack brand. They think it's social commentary. Jay never calls himself an influencer. He says he’s a creator, period. There’s a difference, and he makes sure people know it. His TikTok has around three hundred thousand followers, Instagram about half that. The comments read like a sigh of relief, people fed up with fake polish, finally hearing someone say what everyone else was thinking.
This fits into something called deinfluencing; people pushing back against the buy-everything-trust-nobody cycle. But Jay's version has teeth. He's naming names, calling out the economics. Big venture money flows to chains with good lighting. Family businesses with actual stories get ignored because their content isn't slick enough.
Jay watched his New York neighbourhood change. Chains moved in. Influencers posted about places that had funding and were aesthetic. The old spots, the family ones, got left behind. His videos are about that gap. The erosion of local culture by money and aesthetics.
"Big chains and VC-funded businesses are promoted at the expense of local ones," he said. His content doesn't just roast influencers. It promotes other small food makers who can't afford to play the game. He positions Daadi as a defender of something real against something plastic.
And it's working. Not just philosophically. Financially. The videos drive traffic. People click through, try the popcorn, come back. The company can't keep stock. That's the proof.
Daadi popcorn features authentic Gujarat flavours like Sweet Chai and Spicy Masala, all vegan and gluten-free Daadi Snacks
The blowback
People unfollow because they think he's too harsh. Jay's take: "I would argue I need to be meaner."
In May, he posted that he's not chasing content creation money like most people at his follower count. "I post to speak my mind and help my family's snack biz." That's a different model. Most brands pay influencers to make everything look perfect. They chase viral polish, and Jay does the opposite. In fact, he weaponises rawness and treats criticism like a product feature.
The internet mostly backs him. Reddit threads light up with support. One commenter was "toxic influencers choking on their matcha lattes searching their Balenciaga bags." Another: "Influencers are boring and unoriginal and can get bent." The anger is shared. Jay simply gave it a microphone and a snack to buy.
Jay's success says something about where things are going. People are done with curated perfection. They can smell the artificiality now. They respond to brands that feel like humans rather than committees. Daadi doesn't sell aspiration. Doesn't sell a lifestyle. Sells popcorn and a point of view.
The quality matters, including the spices, the sourcing, and the family behind it. But the edge matters too. He’s not afraid to say what most brands tiptoe around. “We just show who we are,” Jay says. “No pretending, no gloss. People can feel that and that’s when they reach for the popcorn.”
Most small businesses can't afford to play the traditional game. Can't pay influencers. Can't hire agencies. Can't fake their way into feeds. Maybe they don't need to. Maybe honesty and humour can cut through if they're sharp enough. If the product backs it up. If the story is real and the person telling it isn't trying to sound like a PR script.
This started with a list Jay didn't use. The business took off the moment he stopped trying to play by the usual rules and started speaking his mind. Turns out, honesty sells. And yes, the popcorn really does taste good.
Daadi Snacks merch dropInstagram/daadisnacks
The question is whether this scales. Whether other small businesses watch this and realise they don't need to beg for attention from people who don't care. Right now, Daadi keeps selling out. People keep watching. The grandmother's recipe that was supposed to need influencer approval is doing fine without it. Better than fine. Turns out the most effective marketing strategy might just be giving a damn and not being afraid to show it.
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