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Television actress who has been part of popular shows like Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke , Roop – Mard Ka Naya Swaroop , Bade Achhe Lagte Hain 2 , has spoken about how the entertainment industry may look more transparent today, but still runs on unspoken systems that shape who gets work and who does not.

Talking about whether “informal bans” still exist, she said the industry has changed in many ways, but influence has not disappeared. It has just become harder to point at.

“I think the industry has evolved, but power dynamics still exist everywhere,” she said. “Today, it is less about someone officially saying don’t work with this person, and more about opportunities quietly drying up. Sometimes people call it politics, sometimes perception, sometimes relationships. The labels change, but influence has always existed and probably always will.”

She explained that most people imagine gatekeeping as something obvious, but in reality it is often subtle. According to her, the line between networking and exclusion is where things start to shift.

“Networking is about building genuine professional relationships,” she said. “Gatekeeping begins when opportunities stop being based on talent, merit, or suitability and start being controlled by a small circle deciding who gets access and who does not. Relationships can open doors, but they should not become walls for everyone else.”

On whether the industry has become more open in recent years, she said both things can be true at the same time. There is more access now, especially because of social media, but that does not automatically mean equality.

“I think it is a bit of both,” she said. “Social media has definitely created alternate paths for people who do not come from traditional industry backgrounds. At the same time, perception management has become incredibly sophisticated. The industry is more accessible than before, but that does not mean it is completely equal. There are still advantages that some people start with and others have to fight for.”

She also spoke about paparazzi culture and how far it has gone in India. While she understands that public figures are followed and photographed, she feels there are moments when coverage crosses a boundary.

“Sometimes, yes,” she said. “There is a difference between covering public appearances and invading personal moments. Celebrities understand that public attention comes with the profession, but basic privacy and dignity should not disappear because someone is famous. Coverage is part of the job, intrusion should not be.”

On the question of whether celebrities really control their public image anymore, she said control is partial at best. Social media helps, but it also adds another layer of noise.

“Today, public image is a combination of both,” she said. “Celebrities can communicate directly with audiences through social media, which gives them more control than ever before. But at the same time, narratives are constantly being shaped by headlines, clips, trends, and public opinion. You can influence your image, but you cannot completely control how people choose to interpret it.”

She ended by touching on controversy in the industry and how it spreads. Not everything is manufactured, she said, but not everything stays organic either once attention takes over.

“Not every controversy is manufactured, but not every controversy grows naturally either,” she said. “We live in an attention driven world where outrage travels faster than facts. Sometimes situations genuinely explode on their own, and sometimes they get amplified because controversy generates engagement, clicks, and conversation. That is the reality of today’s media ecosystem.”