Archana Puran Singh Recalls Casting of Popular Influencer in Film: 'She Was Terrible...' | Exclusive

Archana Puran Singh and Kiku Sharda recently shared their thoughts on the growing trend of casting social media influencers based on their Instagram followers. Over the past few years, several popular influencers have ventured into films and OTT series, often being cast due to their online popularity rather than their acting skills.

While Stree 2 actor Abhishek Banerjee has criticised this practice for setting a wrong example in the industry, Archana and Kiku echoed similar sentiments, emphasising that casting influencers with millions of followers doesn’t necessarily translate into viewership. Speaking exclusively to News18 Showsha, Kiku remarked, “That’s not a good sign, it is terrible.” Sunil Grover, who was part of the conversation, seemed surprised by the trend and asked, “Is it?”

Archana then shared her personal experience, saying, “I have seen a casting where I asked who was playing a certain character, and I was given their background. When I asked, ‘Has she done films?’ I was told, ‘No, no, no, she’s a big star on Instagram.’ I asked, ‘But has she worked (in films/series)?’ They said, ‘No, but she has got so many million followers.’ I watched her film, and she was terrible in it.”

She also pointed out that this trend has extended to casting for established roles as well. “Casting mein bhi ho raha hai ke jiske followers zyada hai, uske already established popularity hai, audience. But mujhe lagta hai wo necessarily translate nahi hoti hai,” she added, implying that just because someone has a massive following, it doesn’t mean they bring in viewers.

Kiku then raised an important concern for actors who are not active on social media. “What is sad is that if you are a talented actor, that’s about it. Now if the person doesn’t want to be on social media, doesn’t like to be on social media, toh wo banda kya kare fir? Aap usko iss kaaran se toh ye nahi keh sakte fir aap ye project nahi karenge kyunke aap apni following apne saath nahi laa rahe hai project mein,” he said.

While both actors acknowledged the downsides, Kiku also recognised a positive aspect of Instagram. He noted that the platform can be a great tool for budding actors to showcase their talent. “For a few people, who are starting their careers, using social media as a place to audition is beneficial. Instead of going somewhere and auditioning in front of a camera, you can show your work and variety via Instagram. For beginners, it is great, but beyond a point, ye hota jaa raha hai ke following nahi hai toh jiska hai (major following), unko cast kar lete hai, wo galat hai,” he added.

Archana and Kiku are currently seen on The Great Indian Kapil Show, streaming on Netflix.