Actor Ameesha Patel has voiced strong criticism against what she described as the growing culture of “manufactured stardom” in Bollywood, questioning the use of aggressive public relations campaigns to project actors as superstars.
Speaking in a recent interview, the Gadar 2 actor argued that genuine superstardom cannot be created through paid publicity or strategic image-building alone. According to Patel, true stars earn their place through audience love, box office impact and long-term connection with viewers rather than through orchestrated media narratives.
Without naming any individual actor, Patel criticised the industry’s increasing dependence on PR machinery, suggesting that many stars today are being “sold” as larger-than-life personalities through repetitive branding and paid promotions. She said the audience is intelligent enough to recognise authenticity and cannot be permanently influenced by artificial hype.
“Please stop this PR machinery. Superstars are not made by PR. They are made by the public,” Ameesha said while discussing how fame in the film industry has evolved over the years.
The actor compared the current environment with the era of stars such as Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan, arguing that their popularity emerged organically through years of consistent work and audience support rather than through constant digital promotion. According to her, those actors became cultural phenomena because people emotionally invested in them, not because of marketing strategies.
Patel also expressed concern over the increasing obsession with social media trends and curated public perception. She implied that many modern celebrities appear more focused on visibility and online narratives than on building strong filmographies.
According to the actor, the obsession with labels such as “pan-India star” or “superstar” has become excessive, with PR teams often attempting to create a larger image before an actor has built a sustained cinematic legacy.
Her comments come at a time when conversations around paid publicity, box office manipulation and social media image-building are becoming increasingly common in the entertainment industry. In recent months, several filmmakers and actors, including Karan Johar, have also spoken about the growing influence of PR culture in Bollywood.
Patel suggested that audiences today are far more aware and critical than before, making it difficult to sustain false narratives. She argued that while publicity may create temporary buzz, long-term stardom still depends on talent, screen presence and emotional resonance with viewers.
The actor’s remarks have sparked mixed reactions online. Some users praised her honesty and agreed that celebrity culture has become overly dependent on branding and digital promotion. Others argued that PR has always been part of the entertainment business and that modern actors simply operate in a more competitive media environment.
Ameesha Patel, who made a blockbuster debut with Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai in 2000, has often spoken candidly about the film industry and its internal dynamics. Following the success of Gadar 2 in 2023, she regained significant public attention and has remained active in interviews and public appearances.
Her latest comments reflect a broader debate currently shaping Bollywood — whether stardom today is still driven by audience connection or increasingly by algorithms, branding and visibility management.
The rise of influencer culture, social media metrics and digital fandoms has transformed how celebrities are marketed, with PR teams playing a central role in shaping public narratives. Yet Patel’s argument suggests that despite these changes, the final decision still rests with audiences.
For the actor, superstardom is not something that can be purchased or declared through headlines. Instead, she believes it is earned slowly through genuine public affection and lasting cinematic impact.