Aapli Aaji, meaning “our grandmother” in Marathi, is a YouTube cooking channel featuring Suman Dhamne, a grandmother from Maharashtra who was about 70 when the channel began in 2020. She cooks simple Maharashtrian home recipes in Marathi, and her grandson Yash runs the filming and channel. The family has since started selling home-style spice masalas.
Her story spread widely in 2020 and 2021, when Indian media featured her as one of the country’s oldest new YouTubers. It remains a good example of how ordinary home cooking, explained honestly, can find a large audience. This article was updated in October 2026.
Aapli Aaji at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Suman Dhamne |
| Channel | Aapli Aaji (handle @AapliAajiOfficial) |
| Language | Marathi |
| Started | 2020 |
| Content | Easy Maharashtrian home recipes |
| Business | Home-style spice masalas |
How the channel started
As the family has told it in interviews, the idea began with a plate of pav bhaji. Yash asked his grandmother to make the dish, which she had not cooked often. She watched a few recipe videos, then made it her own way with her own mix of spices.
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Yash felt her version tasted better than the ones he had seen online. That made him think other people might enjoy learning from her too, and he set up a YouTube channel to film her cooking in the family kitchen.
What makes her videos popular
The videos are simple. There are no studio lights, fancy plating or long introductions. Aaji speaks in everyday Marathi, measures by hand and explains small tricks the way a grandmother would to a family member.
That plain style is the main reason viewers connect with her. Many people watch for recipes, but many also watch because she reminds them of their own grandmothers. According to earlier coverage, a bitter gourd (karela) recipe was one of her most-watched videos, which is notable for a vegetable many people avoid.
Challenges along the way
Like many first-time creators, the family faced problems early on. Aaji was shy in front of the camera at first and was not comfortable with English words often used online. Yash was also learning video editing as he went.
The channel was reportedly hacked at one stage, and the family had to work to recover it. They kept posting regularly, and the audience grew over time. YouTube recognised the channel with a creator award as it crossed subscriber milestones, as reported at the time.
From recipes to a spice business
As the channel grew, viewers began asking for the masalas used in her cooking. The family started preparing and selling home-style spice blends, with ordering details shared on the channel’s YouTube page. It is a common path for food creators in India, who often turn trust built online into a small business.
For current products and prices, check the official Aapli Aaji YouTube channel or its official social media pages rather than third-party sellers.
The Maharashtrian home kitchen
Aaji’s food comes from the everyday Maharashtrian kitchen, which is quite different from the restaurant dishes most people outside the state know. Home cooking in rural Maharashtra relies on bhakri made from jowar or bajri, simple dals and amti, seasonal vegetables and dry chutneys made from groundnut, garlic or flax seeds.
Spice blends such as goda masala and kala masala give Marathi food its character, and many families still prepare them at home in large batches. Street favourites like pav bhaji and misal pav are now eaten across India, but the home versions are usually simpler and less oily. Interest in such regional home cooking has grown on YouTube as viewers look beyond restaurant-style recipes.
A few everyday Maharashtrian dishes that home cooks often learn first:
- Pithla bhakri: a thick gram flour curry served with jowar or bajri flatbread.
- Thalipeeth: a spiced multigrain flatbread, often eaten with butter or curd.
- Varan bhaat: plain toor dal with rice and ghee, a staple at festivals and at home.
- Sabudana khichdi: sago cooked with groundnuts and green chillies, popular on fasting days.
Why her story still matters
Older Indians are a growing presence on YouTube and Instagram, often with help from children or grandchildren who handle the technical side. Stories like Aapli Aaji show that age and language are not barriers to building an audience, and that regional language content has a large and loyal viewership in India.
Her journey also shows the value of family support. Without Yash’s push and his willingness to learn filming and editing, her cooking would likely have stayed within the family. Read more stories like this in our people section and food and living stories in our lifestyle section.
How to support small regional creators
- Subscribe and watch full videos, which helps the platform recommend them to others.
- Try the recipes and share honest feedback in the comments.
- Buy products only from official links shared by the creator.
- Share videos with friends and family who enjoy regional food.
Further reading: Telegram.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Aapli Aaji?
Aapli Aaji is Suman Dhamne, a Marathi grandmother who shares simple Maharashtrian recipes on YouTube.
Who runs the Aapli Aaji channel?
Her grandson Yash started the channel in 2020 and handles filming and editing, while she cooks and explains the recipes.
Which language are Aapli Aaji’s videos in?
The videos are in Marathi.
Does Aapli Aaji sell masalas?
Yes. The family sells home-style spice masalas, with ordering details listed on the official YouTube channel.
Sources: Aapli Aaji official YouTube channel, Maharashtra Tourism.
