“For the longest time, I subscribed to the idea that social media is much needed to keep me in the game. I thought it necessary to move with the times...” wrote actor and producer Aishwarya Lekshmi in a post on social media.
That belief changed last September, when Lekshmi announced an indefinite break from Instagram with a deeply personal note describing social media as something that had quietly turned against her, distracting her from her work, narrowing her vocabulary and eroding life’s simpler joys.
Nearly a year on, the break hasn’t cost her much. Fresh off the box-office success of Gatta Kusthi 2, Lekshmi is juggling projects across languages and industries. In this conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, she talks about life without Instagram, why she’s willing to trade money for mental health, and why she’d rather let her films do the talking.
Edited excerpts from the conversation:
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER INDIA: What was the tipping point behind you leaving Instagram?
AISHWARYA LEKSHMI: It was a lot of things. I never imagined I’d leave completely. I thought I’d just deactivate my account for a while because it was just necessary for work. I was tired of seeing AI-generated content and the whole vulgar edit culture around it. I know for a fact that those edits are still very much out there.
But not being on social media full-time, and not constantly performing for it, has really eased me up as a person. I’m so much happier without it. I don’t think my work has suffered because of it. My managers and agents keep telling me, ‘Please come back. Do you know how much money you’re losing by not being on social media?’ But I tell them that the amount of sanity I’ve gained by staying away from social media is far more valuable.
I want my films to speak for themselves. The brands I choose to endorse know this is a handicap I have. I can’t endorse them on social media; if they're okay with that, then I’m happy to work with them. Somehow, it seems to be working. There’s a certain exclusivity in not being on social media anymore!
THR INDIA: Has this led to better real-life interactions?
LEKSHMI: Yes! Earlier, I’d constantly read comments and messages, and I’d start believing that the entire world was against me and that nobody liked me. I even said that in another interview. When that interview went up on YouTube, the comments almost proved my point. People weren’t even listening to what I was saying, they were just posting things.
Now, when I meet people, I don’t feel like anybody is against me or that the whole world is plotting against me. That’s the feeling social media gives you. It can become incredibly vicious and toxic.
THR INDIA: Brand deals aside, did stepping away worry you professionally or do you believe a role meant for you will find its way regardless?
LEKSHMI: If it’s meant to be, yes. I’m sure a few opportunities will slip away because I’m not constantly present online. But that’s okay. When I entered the industry, and for the first few years, cinema was everything to me. But today, cinema is just one part of my life. I enjoy doing certain kinds of films. I’m happy doing maybe one film a year if it’s something I genuinely want to do.
If a director really wants me, I’ve been around for eight years now and they know what I can do. They know my strengths, my weaknesses, how I look… every possible angle of me. Thanks to AI, there are already too many angles of me out there. (sighs)
I’d rather they find me because of my strengths than because I’m active on social media. Interestingly, the people who’ve appreciated this decision the most are directors. They’ve actually congratulated me for not being on social media.
THR INDIA: Is therapy something you’d recommend to other actors dealing with the pressures of being a modern-day star?
LEKSHMI: Absolutely. I’d recommend therapy or counselling to not just actors, but everyone. I think it should be part of our lives in the same way we treat a headache or a cold. Therapy has helped me feel much lighter. I used to make very impulsive decisions. Now I wait. I’m calmer, more patient, and I make much better decisions.
THR INDIA: Most of us spend several hours a day on social media. What has replaced that time in your life?
LEKSHMI: I do still use social media, sometimes. I have my dog’s account! I follow a couple of pages, but that’s about it. During the release of Gatta Kusthi 2, I did spend time tracking the numbers, audience responses and the scenes people loved because I was genuinely invested in that journey.
But the nicest surprise has been that staying away from social media has actually brought me closer to people. I’ve started receiving handwritten letters. A fan from Malaysia reached out through a brand that had lent me a sari for promotions. She bought a sari from them, asked them to give it to me, and included a long handwritten letter. I read it, reread it, and even wrote back to her.
Moments like that are incredibly special. They remind me that if people genuinely want to reach you, they’ll always find a way. That’s much more meaningful to me than social media ever was.