Zoya Hussain Spills the Tea on Being Axed from Roles Due to Her Skinny Instagram Following: “Craft? Oh Honey, That’s Not the Real Star in Bollywood!”

Bollywood Newshound Nisha here, back with a fresh scoop, and boy, this one’s a doozy!

So, you remember Zoya Hussain, right? She’s the one who wowed us with her performances in Disney+ Hotstar’s ‘Grahan’ and Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Mukkabaaz.’ Well, she’s been experiencing a bit of a career hiccup, and it’s not because she’s lost her acting chops. No, siree! It’s because of her Instagram follower count. Can you believe that?

Zoya recently spilled the beans during a heart-to-heart with Indian Express. She shared how her journey in Bollywood has been a roller-coaster ride, testing her patience, making her introspect, and even shattering her to her core. But, like a true warrior, she dusted herself off and kept moving forward.

“Craft has very little to do with most things, unfortunately, that’s how it rolls,” she confessed, shedding light on the harsh realities of the industry.

Post ‘Mukkabaaz,’ most of Zoya’s releases coincided with the pandemic. Her first theatrical release post that was ‘Bhaiyya Ji.’ Like many ‘outsider’ actors who debuted around the same time, she too faced similar challenges. She’s been auditioning, meeting people, and making the most of the opportunities that come her way.

But here’s the kicker. Zoya revealed that she has been dropped from projects because of her low Instagram following. Talk about a popularity contest!

She also mentioned the kind of roles she wouldn’t take up. For instance, she wouldn’t be a part of a commercial flick where she’d be relegated to being mere eye-candy. She prefers roles that give her something more substantial to do.

Currently, Zoya is making waves in ‘Bhaiyya Ji.’ She’s also been in Prateek Kuhad’s ‘Cold Mess’ music video, ‘When Chai Met Toast,’ and the Prime Video series ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry.’

Oh, and here’s a fun tidbit: Zoya and Jim Sarbh have launched a YouTube show called ‘Crew Cut.’ Worth checking out, if you ask me.

So, what’s the moral of the story here? In the world of Bollywood, it seems your talent may not always be enough. You also need a hefty Instagram following. Go figure!

Until next time, this is Bollywood Newshound Nisha, signing off. Keep your popcorn ready, folks, because the drama never ends in B-town!