For Parul Gulati, social media forms a major part of her life as it got her noticed and continues to help her with work. She credits all her success to the new-age media platforms, and says, “I call myself social media ki den. I got my first acting gig through Facebook at the age of 17, and now, my whole business (haircare brand) is on social media.”

However, the actor insists “addiction to social media is real”, and reveals she is also battling the issue. “I have to face the addiction. Earlier, the algorithm didn’t know what you wanted to watch, now it does. Algorithm aapki neend chura raha hai. I open Insta and mindlessly scroll for hours on end. It is out of my control,” she explains.

As an entrepreneur, the actor rues that she can’t even indulge in a digital detox as her business depends on her staying active online. “Younger audiences are on social media and it’s imperative to get their attention [towards our products],” she says.

However, Gulati also saw the ugly side of social media as she faced backlash about purchasing an investment property in Goa to convert into a rental property. She was criticised by Goans, who feel she is commercializing the state.

But she tells us, “Main bol rahi hun par puri duniya toh kar rahi hai. And I haven’t even done it as yet. My property will be complete by December this year. Goa has become a [place to do] business. It was the only place I could buy a villa as doing this in Mumbai is impossible.”