Mumbai and its glitzy Bollywood industry attract aspiring actors and actresses like moths to a flame. The lure of fame, money and stardom proves too hard to resist for talented newcomers who dream of making it big on celluloid.
However, showbiz success remains an evasive quest for most. Industry reports suggest that almost 95% budding actors fail to bag any promising projects despite their acting chops. What leads to such abysmal success rates, despite all the technology advantages of today?
The answer lies in visibility. Ask any Bollywood filmmaker about their process of casting, and their response will be unanimity – discoverability.
With mounting competition, producers want new actors who are already on the industry radar through a strong media presence. However, most newcomers do not focus on visibility along with honing their acting skills. Social media follower counts or vanity metrics do not translate into serious professional opportunities.
Filmmakers and production houses rarely scout talent on Instagram or YouTube, no matter how viral they are. For casting calls, they rely more on actively tracking Bollywood news portals and Bollywood trade news websites.
So creating the right perception among industry stakeholders through these digital platforms is crucial. This requires strategic PR efforts to earn media mileage through consistent positive coverage.
However, PR remains an afterthought for greenhorns drunk on social media stardom. The lopsided attention to boosting superficial popularity costs them dearly. It is vital to balance social media engagements with visibility across film trade media and news platforms.
Building familiarity with the decision-makers by being frequently featured can draw attention to one’s talents.
As Bollywood PR strategist Dale Bhagwagar puts it, newcomers must adopt a ‘Strategy over Struggle’ approach for better outcomes. Leveraging media engagements to strengthen their personal brand equity from day one is pivotal. For Bollywood success, the PR blueprint needs to be as concrete as the acting blueprint.
The proof of the acting pudding lies not on Instagram, but across film journalism platforms tracking fresh talent. Strategic promotion endeavours separating the breakout stars from the perennial strugglers. It’s time to re-evaluate visibility strategies and cast the spotlight on real potential, not just followers.