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Social media has become such an intrinsic part of people’s lives in the present day age. And it’s no different for celebrities. But we can’t disagree that celebrities, influencers and well-known personalities face the tiger’s share of criticism when it comes to their looks, comments or videos in the social media universe. Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor has spoken candidly about dealing with such trolling and criticism.
At the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit (HTLS) 2021, Janhvi spoke her heart out about the constant criticism in the world of social media.
“In the day and age that we are in, I don’t think only actors or people in the creative profession are subjected to critiquing. People from all walks of life, and even the common man using social media, is used to subjected to it. I guess it’s the new world order in a way,” Janhvi said, pointing out at the HTLS 2021 theme ‘The New World Order’.
Janhvi, the older of the two daughters of film producer Boney Kapoor and late actress Sridevi, says she accorded a “lot of value” to social media at one point in her life.
Talking about her reasons for it, she shared, “I told myself that it was important to understand the pulse of what the audience wants… what they are saying, where am I lacking, what do I need to work on, so on and so forth. I thought social media was a great platform to try and gauge it.”
But that is also when she understood that the social media platform comes with its share of positives and negatives.
According to mental health experts, trolling can cause people to face issues like depression and anxiety. Some people may even start harbouring a feeling of self-doubt and self-image issues.
But Janhvi seemed to have an interesting way to not let the criticism affect her.
“Well, one needs to identify that although many people are on social media, it still isn’t the majority of the people’s voice. It’s a huge part of what they are thinking, but there are many things to take into account. There are many variables to it,” said the 24-year-old.
Coming from a family of film stars and producers, Janhvi has known the perils of stardom and filmdom since her childhood days.
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PERSONALISE NOW“I am used to the critiquing,” she said, and added, “I have been used to it my whole life. As a family, we have been used to it for a long time.”
Janhvi was joined in the session by her paternal uncle Anil Kapoor virtually, and both of them teamed up for a unique jig at the HTLS 2021 summit. Watch it here for yourself!
Janhvi even shared a little secret to tackling social media criticism as a celebrity.
“You try to take from it, grow from it, learn from it for their (fans’) love… We do what we do to entertain people, to earn their love. We are performers. So, I think if this is one way to understand what they want, and then to work on it and earn their love and respect, I am all for it,” said the young actress, who looked simple and elegant in a sari.
Over time, Janhvi has learnt the extent to which she must seek validation in social media comments about her work or even herself.
“It (social media trolling) used to bother me. And the reason is because for all the the validation, appreciation and love I looked for in my mom, I suddenly turned to audiences for it. My way of gauging that appreciation or reaction came through social media, which was quite stupid of me. That’s a very toxic cycle, so it did unnerve me for a bit and it did bog me down,” Janhvi admitted candidly.
Still, she maintains that “you’ve got to take it for what it is”.
“If they (critics or trolls) have something substantial to say about my performance or the work I am doing, then I do give attention. But if they say ‘Iska make-up achha nai hai ya moti ho gayi hai‘, then I am like ‘Okay, do din diet karke ho jaungi theek‘, and I move on!”
When it comes to Janhvi and social media, you can’t miss her ‘gym looks’ that are a paparazzi favourite. They make a splash on the Instagram world, and fans love all the updates every now and then. Janhvi is very dedicated towards her fitness.
See it for yourself!
And while she loves her gym and fitness sessions, Janhvi says she can’t help but take this paparazzi and fan attention of her “gym looks” with a “pinch of salt”.
“Some people ask for pictures by saying, ‘Humne aapke saare gym looks dekhein hain… Pilates ke baad aap bahut khoobsurat lagte hain. Ek picture milega?’ I want to tell them that I do other things also other than going to the gym! But you’ve got to take it with a pinch of salt. It is what it is.”
She does find the love and attention “extremely flattering”, and to those who may have a problem with her gym shorts or tights, she has an answer: “That’s not my job. It’s a consequence of my job,” said Janhvi.
Well, we love her “it is what it is” attitude! What about you, ladies?
Radhika Bhirani is a journalist with close to 15 years of experience in the Indian media industry. After writing extensively on health, lifestyle and entertainment, she leads the English content team at Health Shots. She has a special interest in writing on mental health and wellness. ...Read More
