Aasiya Kazi on losing out on project due to 'less social media following'

All of us always endorse the idea of adapting with changing times and many have managed to do that really well over the years too. However, when this changing time becomes a parameter for getting work or not, that is when it is a concern. Being active and having a following on social media seems rather common these days for actors as not only do they enjoy millions of followed but portray a different and a more real side of themselves on the respective platform. However, we have lately come across cases where good actors have been removed or rejected work only because they have 'less' social media followers.

Talking about it and how it is true that often actors are cast based on their special media following is actor Aasiya Kazi in an interview with ETimes TV. She said, “Many people cast actors who have an impressive social media following without realising that not all of it is organic. If this becomes a practice, where will it leave people like me who are not active on social media? I am not very active on social media and have always believed in auditioning for roles. Of course, those active on social media also put in a lot of hard work to create content, but so many good actors are sitting at home, because they do not have a certain number of followers. It is heartbreaking to see talented actors not getting work. There was a time when talent superseded everything else. Despite being associated with good shows, it hurts when people do not recognise your work as an artiste."

She added, “Frustration hota hai, especially when people like your audition, but you lose out on a project just because you don’t have enough followers on social media. But if you are in the rat race, you will have to run or you will lag behind."

Kazi became a household name over a decade ago playing the lead as Santur in Bandini and has later had notable roles in shows like Balika Vadhu and Tenali Rama.