Content creator Prajakta Koli who has moved to acting with Netflix’ Mismatched and will now be seen in Dharma Productions’ Jug Jugg Jeeyo which also stars Anil Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Kiara Advani and Neetu Singh has left me so impressed. Not just with her talent but also her honest opinion and views. Recently, our boss lady Malini Agarwal had a conversation with Prajakta Koli along with Kusha Kapila and Rytasha Rathore.
Check out some excerpts from the interview and Prajakta’s views about the internet, content, love and criticism from the audience and much more.
On maintaining relatability with the audience despite the growing fame…
“I have a very clear understanding of the fact that every single opportunity coming my way comes from my audience. Every new panel I get to speak on and role I get to take, comes from the fact that my audience supported me online. And that comes from being relatable. If I reach a point where my audience thinks I’m not reachable then I’m on a downward side. The impact has increased, the responsibility has increased, the conversations are deeper now.”
On the audience being judgemental now…
I have seen that audience is more judgemental now than before. A lot of shit sailed before, it doesn’t anymore. You get called out. The audience knows what they want and they know what they don’t want. So, the audience is judgemental but it has more to do with content and not the fact that I’m a woman which I think is a place of privilege.
On not allowing social media to take a toll on one’s mental peace…
I have cousins who keep telling me they hate being on Instagram because it makes them feel insecure about their bodies and I’m like, you’re following the wrong people! If we have a certain set of people who airbrush and photoshop, there are also women like Rytasha, Kusha and me who show their real selves. I think it’s high time we customize our use of the internet and let it favour us because it’s a whole Yin and Yang situation. We choose what we do on the internet. Let’s surf the internet and not let the internet surf us. A lot of my friends go like I need to go on a social detox. But I’m like, you are using your app and you have control to that. I am like, why waited till you reach that point. Because it’s our job and we have to be on the internet so much, we have to have that control.