Posted:
TV actor Himmanshoo Ashok Malhotra
recently told us, "It's become a
necessity for TV actors to be active
on social networking sites.
Filmmakers tend to look at the
number of followers you have on
Twitter or likes on Facebook to
determine your popularity. They
think that the number of followers
you have on Twitter translates into
the number of tickets the film will
sell." Based on this, we decided to
ask a few actors whether this theory
holds true.
Best indicator of actor's fan
following. Eijaz Khan says, "I don't
think any filmmaker sits at home and
watches TV. If they want to sign any
TV actor for a film, they have to know
their popularity. There are no
government-regulated ratings to
determine a TV actor's popularity, so
they have to look at the number of
Twitter followers to gauge the fan
following of an actor. Karan is doing
a film, Sidharth is doing a film,
Gurmeet is doing a film, and all of
them are popular on social media."
Gaurav Chopraa echoes similar views
and adds, "I have never heard from
any director or producer about this.
But I feel that this observation holds
true to an extent. Filmmakers don't
watch daily soaps, so where do they
go to know about the kind of work
an actor does or the popularity the
actor enjoys? To social media." Roles
get you likes, not vice versa.
READ: Gurmeet looks forward to
debut film with Bhatts
Vivian Dsena opines, "I don't think
our industry functions like this. If you
fit the role or can play the part, then
they will consider you. I don't think
it's mandatory for actors to be active
on social networking sites to get
films. Fans like you because you can
act. Likes cannot get you an acting
job, but acting can get you likes."
Only 25% of people are on Twitter.
Shaleen Malhotra says, "I have never
really heard this from any filmmaker.
There is this speculation in the
industry that filmmakers look at the
Twitter followers of a TV actor. If that
is the case, then that's very absurd.
There are 25% of people who are
active on Twitter, and that too, in a
particular age group, and those
followers can be anywhere in the
world."
Here's a look at the number of
Twitter followers some of our
small screen actors, who have
made a foray into Bollywood,
enjoy.
Gurmeet Chaudhary: 56,000
followers. He has bagged a three-
film deal with the Bhatts.
Sumona Chakravarti: 1,23,870
followers. The actress was part of a
film titled Aakhari Decision and did a
cameo role in Barfi!. She also has a
small role
Manish Paul: 1,33,449 followers. He
made his debut with Mickey Virus,
and will soon be seen in Tere Bin
Laden.
Jay Bhanushali: 33,500 followers. He
is in Hate Story 2 and will also be
seen in Desi Kattey.
Surveen Chawla: 36,989 followers.
She is in Hate Story 2, and has done
Punjabi films.
Karan Kundra: 1,09,288 followers. He
made his debut with Horror Story
last year, and has also done a few
Punjabi films.
Karan Wahi: 1,27,214 followers. The
actor will be seen in an upcoming
Parineeti-starrer.
Sidharth Shukla: 34,333 followers. He
has a three-film deal with Karan
Johar's production house.
Karanvir Bohra: 1,49,716 followers. He
was in Kismat Konnection, and will
be seen in Mumbai 125 KM 3D
alongside Veena Malik.
TV actors who don't enjoy a huge
Twitter following, but have done
films
Karan Mehra: 7,808 followers. Karan,
who is currently seen in Pavitra
Rishta, was a part of Ragini MMS 2.
Eijaz Khan: 7,118 followers. He has
been a part of films like Zilla
Ghaziabad, Lucky Kabootar, Tanu
Weds Manu, etc.
Arjun Bijlani: 2,516 followers. The
actor will be seen in a film titled
Direct Ishq Ho Gaya alongside
Rajniesh Duggall and Nidhi
Subbaiah.
TV actors who enjoy a good
Twitter following but haven't
done films
Rithvik Dhanjani: 67,076 followers.
He has always maintained that he
wants to be part of realistic films like
Shahid.
Drashti Dhami: 1,21,057 followers.
The actress has said that she hasn't
had time during the last two years as
she has been busy with her show
Madhubala - Ek Ishq Ek Junoon, but
with the show winding up in August,
she will be looking out for
interesting TV and film offers.
Karan Tacker: 74,158 followers. He
has been complimented for his good
looks and his on-screen presence by
Karan Johar on the dance reality
show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. The other
two judges, Remo D'Souza and
Madhuri Dixit, have also called him
'hero material'.
Vivian Dsena: 69,987 followers. In an
earlier interview, he had told us that
he has been approached by Ramesh
Sippy for a film, but nothing has
been finalised so far.
recently told us, "It's become a
necessity for TV actors to be active
on social networking sites.
Filmmakers tend to look at the
number of followers you have on
Twitter or likes on Facebook to
determine your popularity. They
think that the number of followers
you have on Twitter translates into
the number of tickets the film will
sell." Based on this, we decided to
ask a few actors whether this theory
holds true.
Best indicator of actor's fan
following. Eijaz Khan says, "I don't
think any filmmaker sits at home and
watches TV. If they want to sign any
TV actor for a film, they have to know
their popularity. There are no
government-regulated ratings to
determine a TV actor's popularity, so
they have to look at the number of
Twitter followers to gauge the fan
following of an actor. Karan is doing
a film, Sidharth is doing a film,
Gurmeet is doing a film, and all of
them are popular on social media."
Gaurav Chopraa echoes similar views
and adds, "I have never heard from
any director or producer about this.
But I feel that this observation holds
true to an extent. Filmmakers don't
watch daily soaps, so where do they
go to know about the kind of work
an actor does or the popularity the
actor enjoys? To social media." Roles
get you likes, not vice versa.
READ: Gurmeet looks forward to
debut film with Bhatts
Vivian Dsena opines, "I don't think
our industry functions like this. If you
fit the role or can play the part, then
they will consider you. I don't think
it's mandatory for actors to be active
on social networking sites to get
films. Fans like you because you can
act. Likes cannot get you an acting
job, but acting can get you likes."
Only 25% of people are on Twitter.
Shaleen Malhotra says, "I have never
really heard this from any filmmaker.
There is this speculation in the
industry that filmmakers look at the
Twitter followers of a TV actor. If that
is the case, then that's very absurd.
There are 25% of people who are
active on Twitter, and that too, in a
particular age group, and those
followers can be anywhere in the
world."
Here's a look at the number of
Twitter followers some of our
small screen actors, who have
made a foray into Bollywood,
enjoy.
Gurmeet Chaudhary: 56,000
followers. He has bagged a three-
film deal with the Bhatts.
Sumona Chakravarti: 1,23,870
followers. The actress was part of a
film titled Aakhari Decision and did a
cameo role in Barfi!. She also has a
small role
Manish Paul: 1,33,449 followers. He
made his debut with Mickey Virus,
and will soon be seen in Tere Bin
Laden.
Jay Bhanushali: 33,500 followers. He
is in Hate Story 2 and will also be
seen in Desi Kattey.
Surveen Chawla: 36,989 followers.
She is in Hate Story 2, and has done
Punjabi films.
Karan Kundra: 1,09,288 followers. He
made his debut with Horror Story
last year, and has also done a few
Punjabi films.
Karan Wahi: 1,27,214 followers. The
actor will be seen in an upcoming
Parineeti-starrer.
Sidharth Shukla: 34,333 followers. He
has a three-film deal with Karan
Johar's production house.
Karanvir Bohra: 1,49,716 followers. He
was in Kismat Konnection, and will
be seen in Mumbai 125 KM 3D
alongside Veena Malik.
TV actors who don't enjoy a huge
Twitter following, but have done
films
Karan Mehra: 7,808 followers. Karan,
who is currently seen in Pavitra
Rishta, was a part of Ragini MMS 2.
Eijaz Khan: 7,118 followers. He has
been a part of films like Zilla
Ghaziabad, Lucky Kabootar, Tanu
Weds Manu, etc.
Arjun Bijlani: 2,516 followers. The
actor will be seen in a film titled
Direct Ishq Ho Gaya alongside
Rajniesh Duggall and Nidhi
Subbaiah.
TV actors who enjoy a good
Twitter following but haven't
done films
Rithvik Dhanjani: 67,076 followers.
He has always maintained that he
wants to be part of realistic films like
Shahid.
Drashti Dhami: 1,21,057 followers.
The actress has said that she hasn't
had time during the last two years as
she has been busy with her show
Madhubala - Ek Ishq Ek Junoon, but
with the show winding up in August,
she will be looking out for
interesting TV and film offers.
Karan Tacker: 74,158 followers. He
has been complimented for his good
looks and his on-screen presence by
Karan Johar on the dance reality
show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. The other
two judges, Remo D'Souza and
Madhuri Dixit, have also called him
'hero material'.
Vivian Dsena: 69,987 followers. In an
earlier interview, he had told us that
he has been approached by Ramesh
Sippy for a film, but nothing has
been finalised so far.
