I’m told that I’m not a celebrity because I don’t have a million followers on social media: Pranitaa Pandit

Social media has become a part of our existence. But, what does affect us hard is how many have started thinking that the virtual world is real and ignoring reality. This is affecting our professional life, global physical and mental health. Pranitaa Pandit recently had an experience that made her sad thinking how the world has changed for the worse. The actor was asked about the number of followers she has on her social media as that was a criterion for doing a brand endorsement. She shares that sometimes the casting team also does the same when it comes to choosing people for various projects.

“I want to share a very personal experience about a brand that approached me through an agency. Later I was told that 300k followers is nothing for a brand to consider me as a celebrity. After working for 12 years in this industry, doing more than 12 shows on TV, you are being told this because you don’t fall in the million-follower category. Saying this with all due respect for those who have hardly done two music videos but is a great content creator they are considered as a celebrity. But this isn’t right,” she adds.

I want to share a very personal experience about a brand that approached me through an agency. Later I was told that 300k followers is nothing for a brand to consider me as a celebrity. After working for 12 years in this industry, doing more than 12 shows on TV, you are being told this because you don’t fall in the million-follower category.

- Pranitaa Pandit

Pranitaa feels brands and people need to wake up and see the reality rather than just looking at the numbers.

 “We’re in a competitive world, everyone is busy, no one has time but that does not give people the right to devalue other people. Some actors who are also my close friends who have crossed 40 years now, are being devalued on the basis of their followers. Maybe they don’t have any fake followers, but the work they do is really commendable. These followers can't remove the name of a celebrity with them. This is a really humiliating and weird space to be in,” she ends.