Popular television actress turned digital powerhouse Sameeksha Sud recently released a candid video addressing the significant mental and emotional challenges faced by full-time social media influencers.
Sud, who rose to national prominence as Dari Pari in the hit show Baal Veer and later became one of India’s most followed short-form video creators, shared what she calls the dark secrets of the industry.
The 32-year-old creator highlighted how the pressure to remain relevant often leads to severe exhaustion and a loss of self-worth among even the most successful individuals in the digital space.
The primary concern raised by Sud is the gruelling nature of consistency, a term often celebrated in the creator economy but one that she describes as fundamentally exhausting.
She explained that the digital landscape does not account for a creator’s personal life or mental well-being, demanding a constant stream of content regardless of the individual’s emotional state.
This unrelenting schedule often leads to burnout, a state of physical and emotional depletion caused by prolonged stress and overwork.
Sud further noted how digital metrics like views and likes often transition from being mere numbers to becoming a creator’s sole source of validation. When a video fails to perform well due to the unpredictable nature of the algorithm, creators often face deep-seated insecurities.
She emphasised that a low-performing video can trigger questions about one’s own relevance and talent, making emotional stability dependent on external digital feedback.
The labour-intensive reality of the job is another point Sud addressed, noting that creators frequently work more than a traditional 9-to-5 schedule. From scripting and shooting to the technical process of editing, the workload is immense, yet it is often dismissed by the public as easy work.
She expressed frustration that the effort put into high-quality production is frequently ignored by automated systems, where a low-effort video might go viral while a deeply personal project fails to gain traction.
Comparison was also cited as a silent “passion killer” within the community. Sud described how watching other creators secure lucrative brand deals or international trips can make individuals feel as though their own hard work is yielding unfair results.
This environment of constant comparison often leads to intense insecurity rather than healthy competition, pushing many to consider quitting the industry entirely.
Sameeksha Sud originally built her massive following on platforms like TikTok, where she amassed over 25 million followers as part of the popular Teentigada group before the app was banned in India.
She successfully transitioned her audience to Instagram, where she now commands over 11 million followers, and YouTube, where she continues to produce lifestyle and entertainment content.
Despite her commercial success and background in mainstream television, Sud remains a vocal advocate for mental health awareness within the influencer community, urging new creators to build mental stamina alongside their creative skills.
