Sooraj Pancholi says actors' ‘visibility' and ‘perception' can be managed by money: ‘Everybody is doing it'

Time of India

a day ago

Sooraj Pancholi
, who was last seen sharing screen space with
Suniel Shetty
,
Vivek Oberoi
and
Akanksha Sharma
in the historical drama 'Kesari Veer', has never really managed to stay away from controversies. Over the years, the actor has often found himself in the middle of heated discussions, yet he has largely chosen to stay quiet rather than respond to every accusation or bit of negativity that came his way.
'If it was up to me, I wouldn't have social media'
In a chat with Hindustan Times, Sooraj opened up on how social media has changed everything in the world of showbiz. Talking about how he feels when he sees other actors staying away from social platforms, he said, 'If it was up to me, I wouldn't have social media. There are so many actors who do not have social media, and I am so jealous of them.'
He then spoke about how money plays a huge role in deciding how people see a star.
'Everything can be managed by the amount you have in your bank, at least your visibility can be, and sometimes even your perception... Everybody is doing it,' he added.
Young actors know how to play the game
Sooraj also praised the younger lot of actors for being clever with social media and PR. 'They are very smart. I wish I thought like that. People like me can do damage control, but that's about it. As for perception about me, pehle kaam to karoon (first let me do some work),' he shared.
'There is no mystery now'
Sooraj went on to talk about how things were different before social media became such a big deal. Back then, there was a certain magic around stars because people didn't know every little detail about their lives. Now, everything is out in the open.
'There are people as hardworking as the superstars. But, social media has made everything so available now. Agar yeh nahi hota, people would have still been superstars.
Mystery nahin hai ab (If this wasn't there, people would still be superstars. There is no mystery now). And there is nothing without it,' he said.
His latest film 'Kesari Veer'
Sooraj was last seen in 'Kesari Veer: Legends of Somnath', a 2025 Indian Hindi-language historical action film. 'Kesari Veer' was a grand period drama set against the backdrop of the legendary battle of Somnath. However, despite its big scale and powerful story, it did not fare well at the box office.