• By Tanya Garg
  • Tue, 19 Aug 2025 09:30 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND

Bollywood's casting system is going through a significant change in the digital age, where a social media following may frequently overshadow established criteria. Reels, viral videos, and follower count are gradually replacing the theater workshops, gigs, and portfolios that traditionally characterised an actor's career. The new reality caused a great deal of controversy in the industry by bringing social media influencers straight into casting rooms. In an exclusive interview with The Daily Jagran, Rida Tharana offered her thoughts on ongoing debate.

Rida Tharana, who has over 1 million followers on her Instagram talked about the number game that has led to influencers taking over acting jobs in Bollywood. Acknowledging the issue, she shared," I am not gonna lie, I do believe that it does become a number game for the brands. You know the entertainment industry is also trying to make the money at the end of the day. Everyone here is trying to make the money here, at the end of the day. So if they find someone with a big following, whose fans are going to come and watch just because they have that particular creator on board, they will get into it. Is it right? I don't think so."

Rida Tharana emphasised that those who have a practiced a lot should be able to get the opportunity before an influencer. Sharing an example, she said, "Like I do believe that a model who has practiced a lot to be able to walk a ramp should get the opportunity before an influencer. So when I do get it, I have walked ramps before, I have modelled before. So, it's not like I am doing a shitty job. But in the meantime I do also feel like I don't want to be for the sake of being there. So if I'm walking so I want to walk at the best."

 
 
 
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A post shared by Rida Tharana (@rida.tharanaa)

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While Rida Tharana defended the idea, she also highlighted that it's all a money game. "So yeah they are not wrong, at the end of the it's money game every industry, every corporate job, every thing comes in the way that what is it that we can do to make more money. What is it that we can do to get more attraction and that's the only reason this is going along with it," she continued.

Rida added, "I do feel bad for who ever is like putting in so much amount of energy and effort into building a skill and hoping that they might be able to crack something and then it's going to someone with a bigger following it might hurt. I don't even like the idea of it. But it is what it is, what can you do."

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The distinction between traditional celebrities and social media influencers is becoming more and more hazy in the digital era. Nowadays, celebrities are not just well-known for their on-screen personas; they are also evolving into genuine influencers, leveraging their notoriety and platforms to work with brands or engage with their followers in fresh and significant ways. The emergence of social media has changed the way celebrities interact with their fans.