From Tiktok to TV: The rise of Romaisa Khan
Award-winning content creator opens up on carving a space for herself
KARACHI:
Social media is now, undoubtedly, the source of all things new. From breaking news to original content, this new medium has it all. Likewise, it has also become a great source of entertainment giving rise to content creators across the globe. Similarly, Pakistan doesn’t fall short of such talent either.
With social media apps such as TikTok and Instagram becoming all the rage, Gen-Z and some millennials have taken this opportunity to make a name for themselves. Gone are the days when aspiring actors would stand in lines to audition for a certain role, only for it to be picked up by an A-lister. One such social media sensation is none other than Romaisa Khan, who also won the Most Entertaining Instagram Celebrity Award at PISA 2021.
It’s a family affair
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Romaisa opened up about her first stint in the world of entertainment, the boom of content creators during the pandemic, and a lot more. Firstly, it must be noted that Romaisa is the daughter of famous comedian and writer Tanveer Ahmed Khan. “My father was a comedy stage artist - a stand-up comedian. He also worked for TV as a writer. He’s done a lot of work in India as well wherein he performed for Comedy Cirus and also wrote skits for it.” And that is why Romaisa feels she had an idea about what she was up to.
She started acting when she was just three. She starred in various TVCs and when she was 14-years-old, she started recreating videos on an app called Dubsmash - which was all the craze back in the mid-2010s. From there on, she moved to Musically, and eventually TikTok. But it was at the age of 16 when her friends convinced her to make her account public and since then, there was no stopping her. Currently, she boasts a fan following of over 2 million on Instagram and over 6 million on TikTok.
Picking up pace
Due to Covid, cinemas across the world were forced to shut down. While international markets and Bollywood moved to OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and many others, the entertainment industry in Pakistan was unable to stand its ground - more so because of the lack of OTT platforms in the country. That is where content creators stepped up during the pandemic which also boosted their following. Sharing her two cents on the same, Romaisa said: “It’s true that Covid helped us in some ways and we got a chance to reach the masses. I hit 1 million on Instagram in 2020 during peak-Covid.”
Her PISA win was huge for her career as a content creator, but it was one that she didn’t expect. She excitedly added: “It was unexpected as I had many big names up against me. But thanks to Allah, I won.”
Understandably, this success came with a lot of pressure as well - and of course, industry competition. There were moments when Romaisa was not in the mood to create any content but it was the love of her fans throughout that helped her deliver exceptional content again and again. She explained: “There's a lot of competition within the world of social media content creation but healthy competition. There are a lot of new content creators coming up with some exceptional work and I try my best to promote them too.”
Romaisa has also starred in several dramas and is all set to make her film debut with John, also featuring Aashir Wajahat. Speaking of what medium she prefers, the aspiring actor continued: “Both of them have their perks. Acting is my first love, so I loved filming dramas. But I also enjoy the creative freedom I get from content creation.”
One might assume that the on-again-off-again ban on TikTok has caused a lot of problems for content creators who rely on it for extra income.
However, for Romaisa, this wasn’t as much a hassle as she quickly transitioned to Instagram and YouTube videos. She credits her success to social media applications because she feels it’s a medium where the creators can directly connect to the audiences - based on what they want to watch, free from all beauty standards that many expect in films or TV. As for the ban, she believes that community guidelines should be put in place and actively followed instead of entirely banning an application.
Down the pipeline
So, what’s on the cards next for Romaisa? With John coming out, will she be making the switch to mainstream entertainment and letting go of content creation? “Evolution takes time, having said that, I feel social media will take over mainstream soon. But that's just my opinion. One can already see how our TV stars are switching to social media and vlogging on YouTube, making TikToks - they are adapting themselves accordingly. As for me, I would like to do more movies and dramas, but also improve my content. I also want to make short films one day but I know for sure, that I will never stop making social media content.”
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