Entertainment Desk:

Acclaimed actress Jaya Ahsan, who enjoys immense popularity on both sides of Bengal, attended an award ceremony in Kolkata on Sunday.

During the event, she spoke on a range of topics, including Bangladesh and the growing influence of social media.

Speaking to Indian media, Jaya expressed concern over the spread of misinformation about her country. “A lot of fake news has circulated about Bangladesh,” she said, adding that the nation is gradually returning to normalcy.

“A wrong message about Bangladesh has reached people. It is not true that films are not being made in the country. On the contrary, work is continuing just as before. Otherwise, how are we even surviving?”

On the subject of social media, Jaya acknowledged its growing impact but dismissed the notion that an actor’s worth should be measured solely by online popularity. “My acting does not depend on my followers. The directors’ evaluation of my performance, whether good or bad, also does not depend on such things. And it’s not just about me — the quality of an actor’s or actress’ work is never judged by the number of followers they have,” she said.

Addressing industry rumours that production houses now choose actresses based on follower count, Jaya noted that while she does not entirely deny the trend, it reflects the reality of today’s media-driven world. “Since social media has a significant impact on people’s lives, perhaps this aspect is now being taken into consideration. If a film’s heroine is popular on social media, it may also boost the film’s commercial success,” she added.

At the same time, she pointed out the difference between short-form influencer content and the demands of cinema. “The acting that influencers do in a few minutes’ video is considered the best. But to act in a film, one has to go through a long process of preparation. Without that preparation, it is not possible to be an actress,” Jaya concluded.