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Social media influencers and content creators receive both love and hate from the global digital community. But there is one good thing that comes out of it—the digital world has democratized the Bollywood industry. Today, talent overtakes power, and these five women have shown us how. A decade ago, a regular girl sitting in front of her television could have only dreamt of being a part of a star-studded blockbuster. Now times are different and OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ Hotstar have paved the way for female content creators to debut on the big screen.
What started as a small journey on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook has given content creators the leverage to increase their global fan base.
Prajakta Koli to Dolly Singh, here are 5 female content creators who shattered the glass ceiling and made it to the big screen:
1. Prajakta Koli
Known for her YouTube channel MostlySane, Prajakta Koli started as a content creator who made comedy videos. With 6.71 million subscribers on YouTube and 5 million on Instagram, Prajakta made her Bollywood debut in director Raj Mehta’s Jug Jug Jeeyo alongside stars like Anil Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Kiara Advani, and Neetu Kapoor. Her first stint at acting was on the OTT platform Netflix for a show called Mismatched, which will soon see a season 2.
2. Shirley Setia
Musician turned actress Shirley Setia has a fanbase of 7.4 million on Instagram. Originating from New Zealand, Shirley was featured in Forbes magazine as ‘Bollywood’s Next Big Singing Sensation’. This young talent made her acting debut in 2020 on Netflix’s Maska, a Hindi film directed by Neeraj Udhwani. Her big Bollywood debut alongside Shilpa Shetty and Abhimanyu Dassani was for director Sabir Khan’s Nikamma. Shirley will also be seen in the remake of the Telugu film Middle Class Abbayi, opposite Naga Shaurya.
3. Kusha Kapila
A social media influencer, content creator, comedian, and now actor--Kusha Kapila is a natural-born actor. Instagram’s favourite South Delhi aunty, Kusha made her debut in Karan Johar’s Ghost Stories which aired on Netflix. Bringing more crazy comedy to our lives, Kusha will be seen in Masaba Masaba’s second season, alongside the designer-actor Masaba Gupta and Neena Gupta. A peek into the trailer and we already love her!
4. Dolly Singh
What started as a journey in fashion for Dolly slowly switched over to making relatable comedic content on Instagram. With 1.4 million followers, Dolly’s content stirs up a riot of laughter because we know it’s all so true. Focusing on social issues of bullying, fairness, and patriarchy in a light-hearted manner, her content appeals to a large Indian fanbase. She made her debut on Netflix last December alongside Swara Bhaskar in the rom-com Bhaag Beanie Bhaag.
5. Mallika Dua
Instagram’s unproclaimed queen, Mallika Dua has won hearts with her cheeky sense of humour and unfiltered jokes. Her reels and trending viral content took her places, and now she’s a full-blown actor. Seen in blockbuster movies like Namastey England and Indoo ki Jawaani, Mallika made her debut in 2017 in director Saket Chaudhary’s Hindi Medium alongside Irrfan Khan and Amrita Singh.
From creating content to acting on the big silver screen these five trailblazing women have worked their way up the ladder. If you haven't watched these five amazing talents in action, check them out now. Trust us they can give established stars a run for their money!
Photo: Instagram/Mallika Dua, Prajakta Koli