Exclusive! Govinda Naam Mera actor Viraj Gehlani: Being rejected from films made me turn to digital content creation

The content creator is making his Bollywood debut with Govinda Naam Mera, which stars Vicky Kaushal, Kiara Advani and Bhumi Pednekar

A still from Govinda Naam Mera

In recent times, audiences have got to witness some splendid acting talent in the form of digital content creators who are gained popularity first on social media.

This includes gifted actors such as Kusha Kapila, Prajakta Kohli, Barkha Singh and now Viraj Gehlani. Viraj stars in the new film, Govinda Naam Mera.

The Shashank Khaitan directorial stars Vicky Kaushal, Kiara Advani and Bhumi Pednekar, and Viraj plays a pivotal role in the narrative, bringing a twist to the tale.

So, the question naturally arises if having a career on social media as a content creator helps budding actors bag big-budget films.

In a special conversation with OTTplay, Viraj said, "Yes, it is true that I have built my audience on Instagram and other social media platforms with funny content that I created. and yes, it is also true that when you have a certain amount of visibility, it becomes a little less hard for a new actor to get an audition or project. But I must tell you why I started making videos on social media."

He added, "The thought behind making videos on social media was not to become an influencer or digital content creator. It came from a space of frustration, anger and was the result of an emotional low point. I was rejected at auditions almost everywhere I went to try my luck. It was depressing after a point. So, I thought, 'Okay, if no one is seeing my talent, I will put it out on social media'."

That is how the young actor started writing, shooting and putting out video content on social media. This was followed by offers for parts in web series and web content. He then went on to appear in shows like Firsts, What The Folks, and Adulting, which released on different OTT platforms.

"The power of content today is such that you can even make a, entire film using ab iPhone, and if it is good, people will recognise it. So, yes, you can say that there is an advantage to being a content creator, but it can only go as far as helping you get an audition. At the end of the day, an actor has to be good at acting to bag any project," Viraj signed off.

Produced by Karan Johar, Govinda Naam Mera will release on Disney+ Hotstar on December 16.

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