As Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank becomes a box office hit across the country, there are many who feel like the success of the film lies beyond the shoulders of the lead actor Shraddha Kapoor. A week after the film's release, the actor became the third most-followed Indian personality on Instagram, surpassing Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While many attribute this to her relatable, unpretentious, girl-next-door persona, popular discourse claims that her followers are powered by morbid curiosity and a PR team that never sleeps.
Many social media users express disdain for her performances, often labelling her as overhyped or questioning her acting chops, including co-actors. In a previous interview with Zoom, an interviewer pointed out that Shraddha's popularity had skyrocketed following the release of Stree 2 despite her having limited screen presence. Aparshakti Khurana acknowledged this by stating, “See this is a PR game. If your channel goes and asks the audience, the original audience on street, are they saying this? I want to know that. So, this is a PR game, I don’t want to comment on it.”
In fact, after the film's release social media was buzzing with a plethora of opinions, featuring hundreds of comments dissecting what contributes to her shortcomings. “Bad actress, hides behind a good relatable girl image but is really shady (PR). She’s just extremely cringe for me, tbh,” said one user. Another chimed in, “Tries too hard to look simple and relatable, then unleashes her PR to claim she’s better than the Khans. It honestly seems like all her fans are just PR agents using multiple accounts—the language they use is too similar.”
{{/usCountry}}In fact, after the film's release social media was buzzing with a plethora of opinions, featuring hundreds of comments dissecting what contributes to her shortcomings. “Bad actress, hides behind a good relatable girl image but is really shady (PR). She’s just extremely cringe for me, tbh,” said one user. Another chimed in, “Tries too hard to look simple and relatable, then unleashes her PR to claim she’s better than the Khans. It honestly seems like all her fans are just PR agents using multiple accounts—the language they use is too similar.”
{{/usCountry}}This chorus of criticism reveals a deeper scepticism about her public persona, suggesting that for many, the disconnect between her image and perceived talent is impossible to overlook. On a Reddit thread titled, “Is Shraddha Kapoor really a bad actress?”, netizens decode why the star doesn't have as much of an impact on screen, as her fans claim to have on the streets. “Only potential to play love interest. I like her but she’s not great actress. Her acting is very cringy. Maybe can do supporting role as a love interest or friend/sis. Love her dance number though with expressions and moves,” said one. Another commented, “She’s insufferable. I still cringe thinking about her confrontation scene with RK in TJMM. And that haseena Parker horror… less said is better.” “Yes she is bad. Like in the category of really really bad. Unlike most actress today she does have a very expressive face that looks great in dance numbers but she can't emote to save her life. Her dialogue delivery is horrendous. Most of her roles don't really require her to do heavy lifting,” was one particularly harsh comment.
The mixed reactions to Shraddha highlight the complicated nature of fame in the digital age, where admiration can coexist with scepticism. Well, the hate continues after Stree 2's release on OTT this week. Soon after the horror comedy arrived on the digital platform, a netizen tweeted: “Shraddha Kapoor's PR is insane!!! How easily they called Stree 2 a female led movie when the female star in the movie had a role of just 30 mins in a 2.5 hours long film.” Take a look:
After catching Stree 2 on OTT, what are your thoughts— does Shraddha have the talent to back up her popularity, or is it all just a well-orchestrated PR campaign?