From silver screen to smartphone: The rise of Bengal’s digital stars

There was a time when the word “celebrity” carried a distinct and tidy connotation. Celebrities were your movie stars, TV actors, singers, cricketers or any other figure from the media-generating publicity. Admiration was tied to their talent, lifestyle, and achievements. Their lives appeared faultless, glamorous, and unattainable. Coming into contact with them would be an event; seeing them on the screen or magazine covers seemed like the closest we could get to the world of fame.

The digital age has altered everything. In today’s world, social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook have changed the notion of fame. Non-celebrities can achieve fame, and their reach can be larger than that of a traditional celebrity. A quickly made video, a random talent, or even a story about their mundane life, can become viral overnight. All of a sudden, fame is not limited to a cinema screen or cricket field.

This is the space that the influencer sector fits into. An influencer is a person who creates content online and has the capacity to influence their followers’ consumption choices, views, and tastes. Influencers reveal their lives, hobbies, personal style, food preferences, travels or even their experiences of mental health and lifestyle. People follow them for more than just entertainment – they are looking for motivation and guidance. The nature of the connection is direct, personal, and enables influencers to be more relatable to offline audiences compared to other types of traditional celebrities.

In Bengal, there are social media stars making their own mark in the evolving world of digital fame. Preeti Sarkar’s genuine nature has connected her to people, providing them with accessible lifestyle and beauty-related video content. Prerna injects fun and humor into the mundane hours of everyday life, and Aakash, formerly known as the Bong Guy, has garnered a following by offering hilarious takes on Bengali culture to youth. Laughtersane entertains audiences with quick videos featuring original comedy sketches. Other emerging names in this growing field like Kiran Mazumder, Moinak Bhattacharjee, Usha (Oldays Kitchen), Nilanjana Dhar, Ankita Majumder, and so many others thoroughly represent a variety of content from Bengal based on lifestyle, food, fashion, travel, and wellness. These influencers demonstrate that there is creativity and talent that can be turned into methods for online stardom, and that Bengali digital creators can now share the spotlight with traditional stars.

Influencers are seen as modern celebrities today. They go to events, advertise brands, and have enormous followings that sometimes eclipse old-school movie stars. Some influencers transition into mainstream media by acting in web series, hosting shows, or starting their own businesses. Social media has given them a public forum to express their personalities and talents more easily and has made fame accessible to anyone who is creative and tenacious.

The increase of influencers also creates vast opportunities for careers. Brands are actively seeking to partner with social media agents for marketing campaigns. Influencers can build careers as content creators, brand ambassadors, digital marketers, or being an entrepreneur. The digital stage is open and always available; there is a global audience and the freedom of experimenting with your ideas. While “taking the leap” into the influencer world is different from a traditional career, there is never an end to your career, which drives innovation and growth.

In conclusion, the boundary between celebs and influencers is vanishing. There will always be some deference afforded to traditional celebrities, however the type of experience facilitators offered to audiences as influencers is of a completely different type of relatability, access, and connection. Both of these fields are now offering that experience, just in different approaches. Fame is no longer limited to movie theaters or television screens; it can happen right through the interface of a phone. By allowing people of the general population to shine, social media has become the great equalizer for stardom. In this age of media making, anyone with the willingness to think creatively, commit, and demonstrate authenticity can become a star. We are learning that in the digital age of stardom, celebrity is just a click away.