Reddit users question if Bollywood PR agencies still influence public opinion

Business Upturn

17-05-2025

A thought-provoking post on Reddit's popular subreddit Bolly Blinds N Gossip has sparked a sharp debate around the continued relevance of PR in the Hindi film industry. The subreddit, dedicated to sharing and dissecting Bollywood-related gossip, blind items, and unfiltered opinions, became a hotbed of commentary after one user posed a bold question, 'Is PR even necessary anymore? Or are audiences too smart for the Bollywood manipulation game?'
The original post laid out its argument bluntly, 'Let's be real. Every celeb today has a 'PR strategy.' From airport looks to pap strolls, from 'leaked' relationships to timed breakups, it's all part of the plan.'
But the user questioned the effectiveness of these moves in today's media climate, 'But here's the thing — do these PR stunts even work anymore?'
Citing examples of newer stars, they added, 'We saw actors like Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani getting massive love without overly manufactured drama. Meanwhile, others are pushing hard with forced couple pairings, bizarre controversy bait, and hyper-glam appearances, and still struggling for relevance.'
The user pointed to audience awareness and online scrutiny, 'And now with social media, fans do their own sleuthing. Fake relationships, planted gossip, even random brand shoots — audiences decode it all in real time.'
Finally, they posed the question that fuelled the thread, 'Is traditional PR (paparazzi, Page 3 leaks, blind items) still effective or are stars better off being authentic and letting their work speak?'
The responses reflected a spectrum of thought. One commenter asserted, 'Pretty much. It is effective. People on Instagram and Facebook are naive and have fallen for their tactics. You can see it in the comments.'
Another user provided a strategic perspective, 'Not really. Remember — the common audience isn't thinking of protecting themselves against PR every day, whereas PR people are thinking of manipulating the audiences every day — it's their job. So, there are still lakhs of people who will still fall for PR and regret it after watching movies in theatres or on OTTs (justifying the acquisition price — the very basis why movies get greenlit).'
A more cynical voice added, 'Please look around you. This country has many problems. Being 'too smart to fall for PR' is not one of them.'
Meanwhile, another user offered historical context, 'People don't understand PR or its purpose. Yes, PR is necessary and has been a thing since ages. You think actors in the 70s, 80s and 90s didn't have PR??? They did, they just didn't have agencies at the time. But PR has always been there and it is an important makeup of the industry and how it runs.' This is true as independent solo publicists existed even before the 90s, till in 1997, Bollywood's first PR agency was launched, bringing in organization and structure to the industry.
Some took a critical view of current PR trends, 'Kartik and Kiara genuinely have great chemistry, and I think that's enough for a movie to be successful. But overenthusiastic PR is too much nowadays.'
Others addressed how PR achieves visibility even when people claim to see through it, 'The expected result is increased reach. The means to do it don't matter. Even if people are smart enough to catch the PR effort, they're still dumb enough to discuss and engage with that content, thus giving it reach.'
There was also this insight, 'Most guys I know IRL wouldn't stop watching an actor/actress's movies just because of being irritated by PR. They'll see if he/she is entertaining enough or not, and then make up their mind to continue watching them or drop them.'
Some believed awareness of PR remains niche, 'Nope. The circle that knows or cares about PR is very small, constricted only to this sub and Instagram. The general public/audience is still unaware of it or chooses to ignore it.'
And a poignant observation about long-term perception stood out, 'Audiences remember who felt 'real' when the campaign ended, and who felt hollow.'
One user even questioned the motives behind the post itself, 'Is this post a part of Ranbir's 'no PR' strategy? Because Kartik and Kiara definitely have PR. In fact, more aggressive PR than others.'
Another chimed in with a general truth, 'There's a reason why PR machinery exists in almost every industry. It's because it works.'
And perhaps the most practical view was this, 'Yes, it is necessary. Because in India it really doesn't matter how well you act, what the script is, etc. If you're a nobody, nobody will pay a penny to watch you. So you need to occupy mindspace for your movies to work, even if just a little bit. It gets too much and some of the PR antics are dumb and pretty see-through, but people still talk about it. And that's why we still need PR. PR is also needed to curate your image and prop up a personality — something likeable, which might be the polar opposite to the celeb's.'
This lively exchange on Bolly Blinds N Gossip reveals that Bollywood PR agencies are far from obsolete. They may be evolving, becoming more transparent — or even more theatrical — but their role remains crucial in an industry that thrives on visibility, perception, and buzz. As one user aptly put it, even bad PR is still engagement.
Ultimately, as the debate unfolds, it becomes evident that Bollywood PR agencies continue to wield influence — perhaps not always in obvious ways, but enough to spark conversation, shape perception, and drive interest.