Influencer and actor Dolly Singh finally makes her big-screen debut with Netflix’s new series Bhaag Beanie Bhaag. Here, she got candid with us about her life as an ace influencer and now an actor.
She is funny, bold, relatable, accessible, and knows the meaning of sellable content. With over 400K subscribers on YouTube and 1+ million followers on Instagram in the matter of a few years, beating millions of upcoming content creators, Dolly is here to stay and thrive. Before we knew Dolly Singh, we knew the viral South Delhi ki Suneeta. Then came others in the name of Raju ki Mummy, Guddi Bhabhi, Zeenat Baji, and Angel Priya, all an extension of Singh’s comic personalities, which hit too close to home for many.
In her latest act on Netflix’s comedy series Bhaag Beanie Bhaag opposite Swara Bhasker and Varun Thakur, we meet Kapi Kapadia, Bhasker’s BFF. Singh opens up about her life, social media persona, Netflix debut, and plans for 2021 and more with LSA.
From being an influencer/content producer to acting in a Netflix show, what has this journey been like?
The journey has been amazing! I’m not going to say that it’s not been hard, but it’s definitely worth it. Acting in a big series has been a dream, and I couldn’t be happier.
How does it feel to be part of a series like Bhaag Beanie Bhaag?
It feels amazing. I think Bhaag Beanie Bhaag is a great story. It’s about chasing your dreams, which is important, especially for women. In the story, Beanie is used to always saying ‘yes’, but then for the first time, she says ‘no’ and does what she likes. Even though the show is simple and sweet, it attempts to conjure energy and courage in women to say no. A lot of women texted me after watching the show about how much they could relate to Beanie.
Also, another highlight from the show is parents attending therapy sessions, which is uncommon. It’s shown subtly and beautifully with an aim to normalise it. So for me to be part of something like this is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
In the show, I play the role of Kapu Kapadia who is a great friend and unprejudiced, but she is also shallow and seeks validation on the internet. That too is a reality for many.
What did you find challenging about it? What did you like most about the process?
I found two things very challenging. First, the character was not written by me. Generally, I write my characters and I know their background and how are they to react to different situations. But Kapi is someone else’s creation. So it was difficult for the first few times. You can think of it as a garment; you haven’t tailored it yourself but it’s been given to you. Of course, you can style it but it doesn’t belong to you.
Second, when I shoot I’m my own audience. Usually, my sets would have only 10-20 people, but here it was hundreds of people with many jobs and there were co-actors to revise the scenes with me. I remember how petrified I was initially to go to the set. The grandeur set was something I’d never seen before and it was overwhelming.
And what I liked most about the process were the things to look forward to. The fact that I’ll be on Netflix with my first official acting gig. It was a dream come true.
What/who inspired you to pursue this line?
I don’t think there was one person who inspired me. I’ve always been someone who wanted to act. Growing up I never said it out loud, even to myself. The self-deprecating inner voice would always be like ”Oh, you think you can act, you don’t even look good”. So the whole film industry was my motivation. I remember as a kid, I’d get jealous of child actors because I wanted to be an actor as well.
So it was always my dream, but I didn’t approach it as I didn’t think it’ll be possible. I always knew that I wanted to be famous and be on TV.
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How competitive is it being an influencer today?
It’s competitive considering there are new talented people joining every day. The industry is getting bigger, which I feel happy about. And while it is very competitive, it is also very giving. Everybody in the industry knows that they can just exist instead of competing with one another. And the best way to cope is by befriending other creators, which makes the community strong. Of course, at times, it makes you question your digital existence and relevance, but I don’t feel attacked. With such a massive population, I have come to realise that there’s an audience for everything.
In your initial days, who were your favourite influencers?
Back then I was just starting out as a fashion blogger so the people I used to follow were Santoshi Shetty, Kritika Khurana, Aashna Shroff, and of course, my best friend Komal Pandey. These girls had already created an audience for themselves and were inspiring. And in terms of comedy, it just started so randomly that I didn’t have the time to find inspiration.
What tips do you have for newbies starting out in this line?
Consistency is key. It’s hard to keep up but if you are true to yourself, then it’ll come naturally. Let people see the real you and relate to you, and don’t get swayed by the social media trends.
Instagram has become a showreel of our lives. Have you always been this extrovert?
Except for when I’m shooting, I’m an introvert. I’m a shy person with social anxiety. Instagram is definitely a showreel of my work and the moments I’ve lived, and it has given me the opportunity to ace what I can ace in life.
Who’s still on your bucket list to work with and why?
Pankaj Tripathi tops my list right now. Then there’s always Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Konkana Sen Sharma, Tillotama Shome, Vicky Kaushal, among others.
This question is for Guddi Bhabhi — what do you think of Dolly when the cameras stop rolling?
I think Guddi Bhabhi would judge me for working so much and for not enjoying my life.
If you weren’t an influencer, what would you be?
I have no idea. I started out as a stylist, so maybe a stylist. I have also worked as a writer, so maybe a writer. But honestly, when you love your job as much as I do, it’s hard to imagine anything else.
2020 has been hard on everyone – what were your biggest learnings? Tell us about your plans in 2021.
My biggest learning has been to keep all my loved ones close. I also want to see the world, stop working so much, go out, make memories, and maybe learn a new skill every year. And no plans as such for 2021; I don’t expect much but I wish to have my own show and write my own show in addition to the work I’m doing.
Harleen Kalsi
Senior Editor
Harleen feeds off her nomadic spirit and incessant shenanigans on the road to stay alive. When not writing, she is busy searching for a good read/art/act.
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