Zoya Hussain lost roles due to less social media followers
Zoya Hussain, acclaimed for her performance in Anurag Kashyap's Mukkabaaz, has made a shocking revelation: she was "dropped" from certain projects due to her "limited" Instagram followers. Recently appeared in Manoj Bajpayee's Bhaiyya Ji—her first theatrical release since her 2017 debut—Hussain shared these experiences during an interview with Indian Express. She expressed frustration at this trend, stating, "If someone is not casting you because you have very little (Instagram) followers what can you do about it? Nothing."
'Craft has very little to do with most things...'
Hussain opened up about the difficulties she has faced as an outsider in Bollywood. She stated that, unlike star kids, she wasn't handed anything on a platter and lacked "marketing or PR push." "Craft has very little to do with most things, unfortunately, that's how it rolls," the actor said, highlighting the struggles of those not launched with a large platform.
Hussain's stance on role selection and social media presence
Further, Hussain stated that she wouldn't accept roles where her only function was to be "eye candy for male actors." She expressed hope not to be pigeonholed into a narrative of only doing smaller films and not commercial ones. Regarding social media, she admitted to having "zero Instagram game," adding, "I would much rather have a chat." "I sometimes look at the Instagram of others and wonder, 'Whoa! This makes sense...'" "I neither have the bandwidth nor the intention."
'I've been dropped from projects in the past...'
When asked if Instagram came in the way of her casting, Hussain responded, "I don't know if it is Instagram specifically, but I've been dropped from projects for either having less followers or not being well known." Meanwhile, Hussain detailed her career trajectory post-Mukkabaaz, revealing that all her releases were during the COVID-19 pandemic and Bhaiyya Ji was her first theatrical release. Despite the challenges, she hasn't felt stereotyped "because I don't think I have been out there much."
Hussain also talked about the 'testing' waiting period
Despite the praise, the actor acknowledged the slow burn of opportunities in Mumbai. "No," she admitted when asked if the praise leads to good opportunities. Further, Hussain said, "The waiting period is definitely testing. Mumbai is an expensive city; you have to survive and not just survive but also have a healthy life outside of your work...For the outsiders, the struggle is to be consistent, persistent, keep the joy within, and not become bitter."
Meanwhile, spot Hussain's work in these acclaimed projects
Hailing from Delhi, Hussain began her cinematic journey with the film Mukkabaaz. She then graced projects like Namdev Bhau: In Search of Silence and the action-packed Laal Kaptaan. Most recently, she stole the show as Aliya Lamba in Amazon Prime Video's Big Girls Don't Cry. She has also graced the screens in music videos for Prateek Kuhad's Cold/Mess and BreakFree of When Chai Met Toast.
