Pioneering short video platform Likee, which was launched in 2017 by Singapore-based Bigo Technology PTE Ltd, has become home to several heroes, whose battle and triumph against the odds of life is an inspiration for all of us. Among such influencers is Anmol Rodriguez, an acid attack survivor who took innumerable challenges of life head-on and emerged victorious only to inspire a million others.
Anmol’s ordeals in life began when she was just two-month-old and her father attacked her mother with acid. She was on her mother’s lap when the unfortunate incident occurred and hence bore the brunt of her father’s act. While Anmol’s mother could not survive the attack, the infant was left with a disfigured face and permanent scars that were deeper than the visibility on the face.
Following the attack, the braveheart got shelter at an orphanage in Mumbai. Years went by and Anmol completed her schooling, following which she got admitted to a college to pursue her graduation in Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) stream. This was the time when she walked out of the orphanage to embark on the journey called life. Anmol got the first major shock of her life when she joined her college and realised that none of the students wanted to be her friend or even acquaintance.
“I was depressed when I started going to college. I had no friend and had to even attend my lectures alone. It was a shock for me, and I failed my exams. But then I met a teacher named Krina Gandhi, who realised my potential and inspired me to complete my graduation,” recalls Anmol.
After her studies, Anmol Rodriguez landed a job in Mumbai, but that did not put a stop to her complexities. Two months into the job and the company management indirectly communicated to Anmol that they wouldn’t retain her as other employees were not comfortable in her presence.
She did not get a job for almost one year, but during the same period, she ventured into the world of social media platforms, which embraced her in her original form. “I was then approached by Likee, who told me that they liked my work and wanted to inspire others through me. I then started using the platform to provide conceptual content to people,” says Anmol about how Likee entered her life.
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Anmol Rodriguez added that while most creators on social media platforms use filters or apply make-up to appear beautiful, she used the platform differently by creating videos where she appeared in her original avatar. Explaining the concept behind her Likee videos, she said, “I give an indirect message to people that not your face, but your talent matters the most. I communicated the same message when I became a part of #LikeeDreams, wherein I inspired several others.”
The braveheart was happy with the fact that while creating content on Likee, she never faced hate messages or trolling. She was also adjudged Likee’s Inspirational Icon, for she touched several lives and encouraged others to keep fighting the battle of life.
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The acceptance in the world of social media gave Anmol the much-needed impetus and paved the path for her to follow her passion of becoming an actor. She has already worked in a short film with critically acclaimed actress Shabana Azmi and in a commercial with new-generation superstar Ranveer Singh. Anmol will next be seen in a women’s day-centric music video by popular music director-singer Tony Kakkar. Besides, she continues to perform in theatres and attend acting workshops.
Born in Mumbai’s Virar, Anmol never got bogged down by the roadblocks of life. Instead, she fought every battle alone and came out as a winner. Platforms such as Likee gave her the warmth and love she needed and helped her realise the potential within. Today, she is pursuing her passion for acting and working as a content writer. Her life mantra that face does not matter in the long run constitutes the formidable pillar of her life and others she inspires.