Before Priya Prakash Varrier, these women became famous in the wink of an eye

Priya Prakash Varrier is 2018’s first viral sensation. Here’s how she stacks up against other overnight internet successes.

Until this weekend, no one had heard of Priya Prakash Varrier, an 18-year-old actor from Kerala. Promoters of Malayalam film Oru Adaar Love uploaded a 3.16-minute trailer on YouTube on Friday, catapulting Varrier to the status of what many have called “national crush”.

Priya Varrier Prakash is set to make her debut in Malayalam film industry with Oru Adaar Love. (IANS via video screengrab)

The video features the song Manikua Malaraya Poovi, with an ensemble cast playing uniformed school kids falling in love in soft-lit slow motion. Varrier, in a bit that lasts 30 seconds, locks gazes, raises brows and winks, at a classmate, flooring him… and seemingly the rest of India

The clip has done wonders for the Oru Adaar Love, but it’s done better for Varrier. Her role has been upsized. She’s now the lead opposite her flirting co-star.

Varrier also gained 3 million followers on Instagram over the weekend, the third highest single-day climb on the platform when 606K users followed her in a single day. Only Kylie Jenner and Cristiano Ronaldo have added more users in a single day.

Twitter has 80 fan accounts dedicated to her – some with close to 85,000 followers. And on Facebook, 251K users follow her official page.

Here’s a list of other Indian women who went from being unknown to becoming readily recognisable: 

Dhinchak Pooja

UP-based YouTube singer, also known as Dhinchak Pooja, has amassed 353k subscribers for her cringe-cool videos.

Dhinchak Pooja became a star with her songs Selfie Maine Le Li and Daaru going viral. (Video screengrab )

Sasha Chettri

The 19-year-old Dehradun student, remains most recognised (and reviled) as the Airtel girl after a series of incessant ads featuring her interrupting people to promote the carrier in 2015 and 2016.

Sasha Chhetri in the Airtel ad. (Video screengrab )

Saima Mir

The Kashmiri student, found herself in the spotlight after standing out in a group selfie with Shah Rukh Khan at her Pune college last year.

Shah Rukh Khan posted this picture on his social media pages while promoting his film in January. Mir’s (in olive T-shirt) Instagram followers shot up instantly.

Sheril G Kadavan

Accounts teacher from Kerala appeared in a dance video to the song Jimmiki Kammal, which received 8 million hits on YouTube in September.