How telly teens handle stardom on social media

They might have shot to fame through television, but social media is the platform where these teenage television stars break free from their reel image and show their real side to their fans. “Many of my fans call me by the name of my character Phulwa. For most TV actors, the characters that we play on TV become our identity. But social media is the platform that gives us the space to show our true self. I have been acting for the past 10 years, but it is my singing videos that get the maximum likes on Instagram. Therefore, I believe that social media gives you a chance to be something more than your character,” says Jannat Zubair, who is seen on 'Tu Aashiqui'.
It is not just Jannat, many other child artists and teenage TV actors echo similar sentiments. With millions of followers, these young actors have not just proved their mettle on TV, but have also built a strong social media presence. We spoke to a few young actors to know more about their fan following on social media, how they manage their accounts and, more importantly, how they deal with trolls and negative comments.
‘Having more than a million followers is a responsibility’
With so many teenagers following her, Jannat says that she feels responsible towards them and so, monitors her online content. She says, “Being on social media with over 2.2 million followers is a responsibility. From my clothes to the lipstick shades I wear, people observe everything. And since most of my followers are in their teens, I have to be careful about the message I am conveying.” Talking about how she handles trolls, Jannat says, “I take trolls sportingly. All of us have a right to express ourselves, and if someone shows their disapproval over a comment, I don’t see any harm in that.”
Ashnoor kaur
‘I have to juggle my time between studies, handling social media and shooting’
Ashnoor Kaur, who has over a million followers on Instagram, says, “I like to stay in touch with my fans through social media, which is why I handle all my social media accounts, except Facebook, which my team handles. I like to read comments and reply to some of them. I try to go live and do other such activities to maintain constant contact with my fans,” she says.
The 'Prithvi Vallabh - Itihaas Bhi, Rahasya Bhi' actress adds, “When I’m shooting and have a packed schedule for days, I don’t get time to be active on social media. But when I am off TV, I spend more time on social media and interact with fans. And I have to also juggle my time between shooting, handling social media and studies.” Talking about handling negative comments, the 14-year-old says, “Hate messages do disturb me a little, but I’ve never felt any kind of pressure. I just don’t pay heed to trolls or negative messages.”
Ruhanika dhawan
I keep her followers updated about her work: Ruhanika’s mother
Ruhanika Dhawan, known as Ruhi of 'Ye Hai Mohabbatein', has over a million followers on social media. Dolly Dhawan, Ruhanika’s mother, handles the 10-year-old’s social media accounts. She says, “I manage Ruhanika’s account as she is too young to be on social media. She is known for her work and has a credibility for herself, which is why I decided to make her profile on different social media handles. I keep her followers updated about her work and often post about other activities that she participates in. This way she remains in touch with her fans when she is not working on TV. However, I don’t prefer posting much about Ruhanika’s personal life as she is too young. Most of the posts are about her work, photo shoots and other commercial activities that she is participating in. She is a kid and I want her to have a normal childhood.”
Faizal khan
‘Social media is important for reality show participants’
Faizal Khan, who has taken part in multiple reality dance shows and was also the winner of 'Dance India Dance Li’l Masters' in 2012, says that social media plays a pivotal role in the life of the reality TV star. “When an actor does a reality show, which airs once a week, his/her TV presence remains limited. So during this time, one stays in touch with their fans through social media. Also, online platforms are of great help when a reality show participant wants to appeal for votes. It has helped me a lot to get votes.” Talking about the time he hit a million followers on Instagram, the 'Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap' star, says, “It was the best feeling to hit a million. However, I never gave a thought to what activities I should do to shoot up my followers. I just stay what I am in real life on social media and my fans love it.” He adds, “I rarely read the comments’ section. I know that apart from a lot of positive comments, there will be many nasty comments too, and that disturbs my mind.”