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There was a time when promoting a film meant predictable appearances at malls, college festivals, reality shows and carefully curated interviews. Stars arrived with rehearsed anecdotes, answered familiar questions and left with little room for surprise.

Today, that playbook is beginning to look dated. Recently, Varun Dhawan turned up on Tanmay Bhatt’s show on YouTube along with other comedians to promote his recent release Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai. Last week, Alia Bhatt and Sharvari stepped into the wildly unpredictable world of Samay Raina ’s India’s Got Latent 2 (the show’s much-anticipated comeback) as part of their promotions for the upcoming film Alpha. What’s interesting isn’t just where these stars are showing up, it’s what these appearances signal. For decades, Bollywood’s biggest currency was mystique. Stars were expected to maintain a certain distance. They were larger than life, carefully protected from situations where they could be challenged, or lose control of the narrative.
The internet changed that. Audiences today don’t want perfection. They want personality. They don’t want celebrities to simply talk about their films; they want to see how they react when the script disappears. How funny are they? Can they take a joke? Can they laugh at themselves? Are they comfortable being part of the chaos rather than controlling it?

When a star enters a space created by internet personalities, comedians, or creators, they surrender a degree of control. The conversation is no longer entirely theirs. There is always the possibility of an awkward moment, an unexpected question or a joke at their expense. That vulnerability makes the interaction feel real. It takes a certain confidence and courage to willingly step into that zone. For stars who have spent years carefully managing every public appearance, agreeing to be roasted, interrupted or caught off guard is a leap of faith. It means trusting that authenticity will resonate more than perfection. And in an age where every celebrity has an Instagram feed polished to shine, authenticity has become the rarest commodity. Watching a star get roasted and pushed out of their comfort zone often reveals more about them than a dozen traditional interviews. These platforms don’t merely offer reach; they offer engagement. People don’t just watch them. They participate in them.
For years, film promotions were built around the idea that stars were the centre of the universe and everyone else revolved around them. Having interviewed talent in Hindi cinema for over two decades, I’ve watched the rules of film promotions evolve from carefully scripted conversations to wonderfully unpredictable exchanges. Today’s successful promotions feel more collaborative. The creator isn’t a prop. The platform isn’t just a marketing vehicle. The star becomes part of an existing ecosystem and plays by its rules. Does the promotional move help sell more tickets or make the film “hot property’ is hard to gauge at this point, but what they certainly do is make people stop scrolling, start sharing and, most importantly, start talking. And that could be the first step towards conversion.
Of course, this approach carries risks. Not every joke lands. Not every appearance goes viral for the right reasons. But that unpredictability is precisely what makes it compelling. For an industry often accused of taking itself too seriously, learning to embrace spontaneity may be the most refreshing development in film marketing .
The future of promotions may not belong to the loudest campaign or the biggest event. It may belong to the stars willing to leave their egos behind, walk into unfamiliar territory and prove they can laugh at themselves.
Because in 2026, relatability might just be the most bankable star of all.