Neha Sharma: Staying relevant in Bollywood is important for outsiders more than the star kids

Actor Neha Sharma feels outsiders are by themselves while exploring the world of Bollywood as compared to star kids, who have the whole industry backing and supporting them.

“It has been over 10 years since I started my journey in Bollywood. And the one thing that I have learned is that staying relevant is important because people forget you since there’s a new guy or a guy being launched every day,” Sharma tells us.

She adds, “And they have the whole industry supporting them. If you are an industry kid, you have the whole fraternity pushing them, so for an outsider, the only way you can survive this is try to be relevant”.

The actor, who made her Hindi film debut in 2010 with Crook, is glad that social media is turning out to be a platform for aspirants.

“When I began, social media wasn’t a thing. Now, when I look at people who are coming into the industry, it is much easier… Look at all these influencers, who are not from the industry. They don’t have any inside relations, but they have made it,” says the actor, who was last seen in web series, Illegal 2.

Looking back at her career, she says, “There were times when I felt why I am not get this or that. It has taken me 10 long years to be where I am today. I have taken long breaks because I was not being offered the roles which I wanted to do. But I still had to remain relevant, and do things to be in the minds of people. So, there have been phases where I have done things which I didn’t believe in because those were the offers that came to me. Now, with OTT platforms coming in, I feel there is a lot of good work that is being offered to me”.

Now, new talent has not only made it, but are also getting films and stuff, “because they are connected to their fans and people want to see them, so the industry is also lapping it”.

“That’s why they are also supporting them. The only advice I can give people is believe in yourself. The industry is not an easy place to be, so you need to have patience. Patience is the key. And be true to yourself, just don’t change for the world because they manipulate you. It’s not for your good,” she ends.