MUMBAI: Actress Falaq Naaz, who was seen in Bigg Boss OTT 2, says that it’s very important for actors to be active on social media. She says that constantly being in the limelight is the only way to survive.

“Definitely jo dikhta hai wohi bikta hai. You have to work and get noticed by people constantly. The producers or directors in the industry, who handle casting, should see you and remember you. The character that might suit you or is made for you can reach you in any way. If you won't be noticeable then people might not remember you because there are a lot of options available. There are a lot of actors nowadays in the industry, who are easily visible. So, I believe that you have to work on it,” she says.

However, she says that it's tough to be active on social media all the time.  “It has become quite difficult for people to understand social media. Not everyone out there is trying to seek attention. I feel that people want to see something motivational, something related to their lives. There are different kinds of people out there. Some will criticise any post. On the other hand, those who are sensible won't pay attention to those things, they'll go for something that's important to them. So, I think everyone has found some or other thing that's crucial for them and they follow it, she says.

Actors who have no attention-grabbing intention, mind their own business, and may sometimes go unnoticed in spite of doing good work as an actor, she says, adding, “I have felt this when I was engaged in some work but was rarely active on Instagram. I didn't share updates about my work on Instagram. But now you have to tell people about your own work because everyone is on Instagram. People have stopped reading newspapers. Hardly few people watch the news. They all want news through Instagram. Even anything posted by the meme pages becomes news for them. So it's us who are going to showcase our work to the people. Earlier people used to watch television and through advertisements, they were informed about upcoming things. Even the advertisements in the newspaper were used to convey the upcoming events. People used to read that and understand the details. But today there's a lack of all these things. Nowadays people have become so active on Instagram that whatever news they wish to watch whether it's a flood, earthquake, or anything they want to get it verified by the owners of the meme page they follow. Sadly, we can't do anything about this, but as an actor, we will have to showcase our work.”

It's said that people should remember your work and that’s why you should take up work continuously is obviously essential. But also only if you take on work, will people know that you want to continue working in the industry. If you stop, they might assume you have left. So that’s why it is important to work. However, she doesn’t let this bother her. “I don't think I am going through this pressure at present. Because I have only worked on those things which I have understood. Although, people always say, ‘It's high time now, you must do this or that, it's a chance for you, you'll be visible and that's how it works’. But what I feel personally is that the competition still exists today. After all this, if I take the responsibility of showcasing my work on social media as a professional actor it is not easy. I have never taken the pressure of social media even after such a huge competition in the industry. Also, there's competition in any profession, not just our industry,” she says.

She adds, “It is very good to be ambitious about your career and your work. I feel it's too much to keep your self-respect aside from your ambitions. I think you should be ambitious but keep a check on your self-respect too. If there's any situation that raises a question of your self-respect or your life's principles, then things will take a wrong turn. You'll not be able to reach your destination, your path will remain untravelled. I think that will be wrong.