‘Dekhna, kitne followers hain uske?’: Tisca Chopra on Bollywood’s casting driven by social media numbers

16/02/2025

At TOI's Right to Excellence Online School Summit, actress and filmmaker Tisca Chopra shared her thoughts on how online education is shaping the future of filmmaking, theatre, and acting.
Reflecting on her experience during COVID and the rise of digital learning, she emphasised how technological advancements especially AI are transforming the creative industry.
She also discussed how Taare Zameen Par would look in today's world of online schooling and social media-driven careers.
Talking about the impact of online schooling on filmmaking, theatre and acting, Tisca shared, "During COVID, I directed a feature film and trained in filmmaking through online classes.
A lot of my learning came from studying the works of some of the greatest filmmakers in the world, and that access was made possible through the internet."
She added, "Subjects like robotics, music, drama, and filmmaking can be taught effectively online.
Today, everyone is a filmmaker creating reels on YouTube and Instagram, which are essentially very short films.
This shift is already happening in the online space. I don't see the necessity of attending a traditional film school to learn the craft. With AI advancements, tasks like editing, transitions, and cuts will become much easier."
"In fact, the future of filmmaking is already incorporating elements like ASMR, which people learn by experimenting on Instagram.
Classical filmmakers might criticize me for saying this, but we live in an evolving world, and films are a reflection of societal changes.
Moving forward, highly specialized skills can be taught online, especially with AI enhancing the learning experience, she said.
When asked hypothetically, how would she direct 'Taare Zameen Par' today, featuring a dyslexic Ishaan Awasthi with access to online education, Tiscar shared, "That’s a great question! Amol Gupte took a few years to write the original, and we spent a year and a half making it.
In traditional schools, students are expected to excel in everything. However, online schooling allows children to specialize and focus on subjects they are passionate about.
This shift creates a unique opportunity and offers greater freedom.
The conventional mindset of becoming a doctor or engineer is changing.
Who would have thought seven or eight years ago that being a social media influencer would become a viable career? Yet, today, it’s huge."
Elaborating further, she added, "Interestingly, casting in the entertainment industry is now influenced by social media followers.
It’s shocking! Casting directors ask, "Dekhna, kitne followers hain uske?" (Check how many followers they have.) As a director, I was once told, "Isko cast karo, iske bahut zyada followers hain social media pe." (Cast them, they have a huge following on social media.)
That’s the reality actors are being chosen based on the niche they have created for themselves online."
"If Taare Zameen Par were made today, Ishaan’s father wouldn’t be as worried about "Yeh bada hoke kya banega?" (What will he become when he grows up?).
He would recognize that there are so many new career options available. And, most importantly, I would be very happy not to send Ishaan to a hostel," she concluded.

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