A viral video on Instagram, of someone cooking chicken biryani, has an unbelievable 42 million views. The twist? Everything is tiny.
Videos of tiny items are becoming a new obsession, and experts believe that the dopamine hits we get from seeing these mini items can make us addicted. Photo: tinykitchentm/India Today
Dristi Sharma
New Delhi,UPDATED: Aug 30, 2024 15:15 IST
We all remember the time when we used to get excited every time our parents bought us a new kitchen set, a doctor’s set, or a Hot Wheels car. The joy and thrill of getting our favourite toys were something else.
Lately, however, if you’ve scrolled through social media, you must have come across videos of teeny tiny items that adults collect with all that similar excitement. From dollhouses to food items to mini makeup, you can find everything in a miniature version today.
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Like many other trends, this one originated too on TikTok in the West before making its way to India.
The cutesy, Pinterest-inspired tiny items that make us go, “OMG, that’s so cute!” have now captured the hearts of Indians as well.
‘The mini chicken biryani’
Recently, for example, a video from the Instagram account @great_indian_asmr has gone viral, passing over 42.4 million views (as of now). In the video, the creator makes chicken biryani using a traditional recipe with a twist: everything is miniature. From the utensils to the chicken pieces, even the eggs—everything is tiny and utterly adorable.
See the video here:
The team of @great_indian_asmr, who is based out of Manipal, Karnataka, tells India Today that this was their second video where they have focused solely on tiny ingredients. The first video that they ever made was a miniature pani puri video.
“It [pani puri] had a great response so we wanted to make another miniature video and our chef had the idea to make biryani so that we could reach a wider audience,” they said. The @great_indian_asmr tells India Today that Indians do have a knack for miniature videos which is growing nowadays.
However, today, not only Instagram, but the trend has reached long-form video platforms like YouTube, where a section of adults are spending their real money on buying miniature products, while other adults spend hours watching these adults ‘unboxing’ their miniature products.
The crazy miniature market
The online craze for realistic miniature products has driven demand for these items in the broader market, appealing not only to children but also to young adults.
Today, countless companies offer miniature items, each more realistic than the last. From mini makeup that actually works to dollhouses with functioning washrooms, you can find nearly everything in an adorable, pocket-sized form.
However, these mini-items can sometimes be more expensive than their full-sized counterparts.
For instance, the so-called ‘miniature bag,’ measuring just 657 by 222 by 700 micrometres, made headlines in 2023. Crafted from photopolymer resin, it was sold for an astonishing 51.7 lakh, and it wasn’t even visible to the naked eye (mini much?)
In March 2017, the European Fine Art Fair in Maastricht sold a Dutch doll’s house containing 200 17th-century silver ornaments for Rs 16.32 crore.
But why are people so obsessed with them?
Do you remember Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) videos? These videos have become quite a big deal on social media and are everywhere. They give us a fuzzy, tingly feeling when we hear certain sounds, like someone tapping their new nails on a product, slurping noodles, or just whispering.
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A 2023 study shows that ASMR videos can lead to positive emotions. Today, many people, especially the young, use ASMR to relax, induce sleep, reduce stress, and alleviate anxiety.
Similarly, miniature videos—or videos of tiny items—are becoming a new obsession. While they might not help you sleep, experts believe that the dopamine hits we get from seeing these mini-items can make us addicted.
Dipra Agarwal, a counselling psychologist at Allen Career Institute, Bengaluru, says miniature objects often evoke a ‘sense of nostalgia’ and remind us of childhood toys, dollhouses, and playtime, which can transport us back to simpler, happier times.
“Research in psychology shows that nostalgia can improve mood and even boost self-esteem,” says Dipra.
Shreya Kaul, a counselling psychologist, agrees, adding, “I think tiny things tend to take us back to our childhoods because often the last time we played with or had access to tiny things was when we were kids.”
'It gives us a sense of control'
For people who feel overwhelmed by the unpredictability of daily life, the miniature world offers a sense of control, according to Dipra. “When life feels chaotic, collecting and arranging tiny items allows us to create a small, perfect world where everything is manageable. It provides a sense of accomplishment and order,” she adds.
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Apart from the sense of control, Shreya explains that, just as we find tiny humans and animals cute, we tend to extend this affection to tiny items as well. “There’s an automatic cuteness we associate with tiny things. And whenever we see things we find cute, we release dopamine—the happy hormone,” says Shreya.
Social media also plays a major role, Dipra says.
“Our attention spans are short, and competition for engagement is fierce. This adds an element of surprise and novelty that goes beyond just aesthetics,” Dipra explains.
She also notes that people who collect miniatures often share their collections on social media platforms, allowing enthusiasts to exchange ideas, bond over their shared love for tiny things, and sometimes even earn money.
Finally, for some, miniatures provide a perfect escape from the stresses of reality, allowing them to travel into a fantasy world. Experts believe that psychologically, this form of escapism can be a healthy coping mechanism, which is also meditative and therapeutic for some.
Who would have thought such tiny things could have such big effects?
Published By:
Dristi Sharma
Published On:
Aug 30, 2024
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