In this episode of The Hot Take Podcast, entertainment journalist Rohit Khilnani unpacks how Bollywood’s PR machinery has evolved from managing celebrity images to controlling them. What began as guidance for stars has now become a system that dictates how they speak, dress, and even think in public. He recalls Deepika Padukone’s bold visit to JNU which was a rare act of defiance that broke through PR barriers and contrasts it with today’s hyper-curated era, where rising talents like Ahaan Pandey are being “rebranded” to fit a polished, marketable image. The conversation dives into the tension between authenticity and perception in an industry obsessed with control, highlighting how PR now shapes not just narratives, but identities. As Bollywood merges with the influencer ecosystem, The Hot Take asks: are celebrities still free to be real?
