Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 20, 2019)

Fatima Sana Shaikh has impressed netizens with her girl-next-door avatar on her social media accounts which is a trove that abounds in candid portraits, street photography, snapshots with animals, and photographs from vacations. “I feel like capturing the beauty of everyday life,” Fatima says. For the Dangal (2016) actor, designing a strategy for using social media would tamper with who she really is. Excerpts:

Your social media is proof that you are quite the girl next door. Is that part of your strategy?
I have no strategy when it comes to social media. I’ve always uploaded the things I wanted to. Social media is an extended part of me and that’s what is interesting to other people. If my fans like me on social media, there’s nothing better because then I don’t have to pretend at all.

Your love for animals is evident from your Instagram feed.
I love them. That’s why you’ll see a lot of pictures of me with animals on my social media page. My brother and I foster kittens. If an animal is in some kind of trouble, we make sure that we take them to a shelter for help. It’s something that has been a part of us as I’ve always seen my father doing it.

Your love for street photography is also quite evident. What fascinates you about it?
I love it because there’ so much to see. I always have good conversations with the people who I capture through my lens. I randomly approach people and then ask them if they’ll be okay with me clicking them as I have been rebuked at times.

Do you let trolls affect you?
I’ve become desensitized when it comes to being trolled. I love staying in my own world. I’m happy that my work keeps me distracted. Trolls are just noise.

How important a tool is social media for actors?
Social media is an outlet for a lot of people. There are a lot of actors who still aren’t on social media. My being on social media isn’t born out of necessity, but because I enjoy being on it. If I feel like I’m not enjoying it, I’ll delete my accounts.

What is your social media detox like?
Every now and then, I go off social media because I’ve always been very conscious about how much time I’m spending on my phone. I have two phones currently, one is my work phone and the other is my personal phone which has no social media applications apart from WhatsApp. I’m trying to find a balance and a way to enjoy the moments in the present.