In the entertainment industry it is often said that ‘jo diktha hai wahi biktha hai’ that is you need to be visible to be saleable’. Producer Nivedita Basu agrees. She also shares her opinion on whether this adds pressure to an actor’s life given that she has dealt with plenty of artists.
“Yes it is more applicable now than it was before because I know many of the top actors who were not visible in any place but still were at the top of their game. I think now with the social media pressure, anything you are doing on television, web or films, makers will ask you to post and write about it,” she says.
While we can reveal all that we want online, not everything about every celeb grabs attention. “I think how much the actors deny, they do get pressured by social media. I have seen actors telling me “how did that one get a free trip and even their weddings have been free”. So you know why they keep trying to do things that make them feel present. People create a lot of stories just to be talked about,” she adds.
Actors who have no attention grabbing intention, mind their own business, and maybe sometimes go unnoticed in spite of doing good work. When asked if any of her actor friends faced something similar, Novedita shares a story.
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“I have heard an actor telling me that his PR person told him that the only way you can have your audience stick to you and grow with you is when you give them a piece of life like what you do, with whom you hang out, the places you go to eat etc. I think if you don’t have a USP, people would not be attracted to see the same thing every time unless you are a star,” she says.
Apart from social media, actors also deal with competition, insecurities, looks and audience reactions to their work. There are instances of actors reaching out to her for help.
“I know so many actors. My own Rakhi brother Raj Singh Arora is such a fabulous actor and he doesn’t stick to social media to advertise or talk about things he doesn’t want to. He speaks his mind and sometimes he goes out of character and some people find him really shocking while some appreciate it. I know he will not do anything just to grab attention. He is just one and I know hundreds of them who are great actors. Amit Riyan is also a good actor and doesn’t post much. I won’t pass any judgment but yes it takes time. I worked with Bhanu Uday in my maiden production. He is a fab actor and it took me a while to understand him. When he did Bob Biswas, Anurag Basu was really fond of him. When I saw him in Crash Course now, his craft is so good and I don’t think he needs to advertise it. He sticks by his gun and gets his work in his own sweet time,” she adds.
Nivedita feels it is quite important for people to mention that they are looking for work because there are so many people in the industry that you tend to forget. I don’t see a reason why it’s bad. Being ambitious is nice but I have told people time and again that if it’s acting then work on your craft, if it’s modelling then work on other things. What I mean is work on your basics. If I am a filmmaker, a producer and creating stories and if I don’t read and watch enough then how would I know I am good. I can’t just meet people without having anything to narrate to them,” she signs off.
