'Audience remembers roles, not Reels': Shriya Pilgaonka on actors' self-marketing
Renowned actor Shriya Pilgaonkar, who recently appeared in the Disney+ Hotstar series Taaza Khabar, underscored the vital role of "marketing" in the film industry. Having made her Bollywood debut with the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Fan in 2016, the actor says she has realized the importance of creating the right buzz for her work to reach a wider audience. She has learned to unabashedly embrace the philosophy, "jab PR kiya toh darna kya (why fear when you've done PR)."
Pilgaonkar reflected on her career and the importance of promotion
Pilgaonkar—who earned wider acclaim in 2022 for her role in The Broken News—confessed that she initially found self-promotion challenging. She told Indian Express, "Today, a lot of actors are created and mounted to be stars before their work is released. A lot of work goes into that as well." "In my case, I thought let Fan come out...It worked in my favor because many people were interested in knowing about me."
Actor emphasized talent, perception, and branding in showbiz
Further, Pilgaonkar stressed that talent alone does not guarantee success. She believes that an actor's grooming involves honing acting skills, understanding market perception, and personal branding. She explained, "Just saying that I'm going to work on my talent...and hoping that leads to something is one aspect but in showbiz there's so much more." "Today, you've a sense of how PR works...I won't say it's too naive, but it's idealistic to say that it's only hard work that gets you ahead."
Pilgaonkar advocates for substance over marketing in film industry
Despite acknowledging the importance of marketing, Pilgaonkar insists that substance should always be prioritized. She said, "People won't remember my Reels; they're going to remember my roles." "So, I've always given substance priority. But along with that, I do think it's important to do PR around your projects because how else will you show other aspects? How else will people understand who I am, not just as an actor," she added.
