Niharika NM, the social media star who has gained millions of followers with her sketches and comedy videos, started her new journey with films in the south and is now venturing into the Hindi film industry as well. The internet sensation will be making her Hindi film debut in Bhai Tera Star Hai with Raghav Juyal, which hits theaters on July 31. Speaking about the transition from social media to the big screen and promoting their two films together, Niharika told Hindustan Times that it has been an “incredible journey” full of emotions and challenges.
Content creation paused to act.
Known for her viral skits and multilingual content, Niharika confessed that getting out of the business was not easy for her. She said: “I stopped creating content probably three years ago and it was a risk I was willing to take at the peak of my social media career as a content creator because I truly believed I wanted to be a part of bigger and bigger stories that I was passionate about telling. It was a risk I was willing to take, and I think it’s slowly paying off.”
The actress further stated that leaving her social media career and the hefty salary that came with it was intimidating. “The transition process can be a little daunting because leaving something that you’re already good at and that makes you a lot of money is a big risk. But I believed in myself. Worst case scenario, I know how to rebuild myself. I have so much faith in myself,” she said.
Niharika added that she decided to focus on learning the craft of acting instead of trying to balance both careers. “I wanted to throw myself into acting because I really wanted to learn. I wanted to do well and be accepted by the audience not only because of my personality on the Internet, but also because of my work as an actor. I feel a lot of responsibility and pressure, but it has also been a beautiful journey to discover what makes me happy,” added the actor.
Children’s theater background
Niharika NM responded to the idea that she was able to rate the projects using her popularity on social media and revealed that she has been a passionate actress and acting has been her dream.
“I’ve always been a theater girl. I graduated from Chapman University, where I did my MBA and MFA. Telling stories has always been what I wanted to do. What I did on the Internet was also tell stories, just presented differently,” she said.
On his Hindi debut with Bhai Tera Star Hai
She further added that learning multiple languages also helped her explore various fields. talking about Bhai Tera Star Hai, said that director Vivek Agarwal had given her the role of Rashmi in the film. “She definitely saw me as Rashmi. She is feisty, flighty but full of heart. Honestly, the whole experience has been magical. I was expecting obstacles, but the cast, crew, director and producer Avantika have been amazing. It has been the best time,” she added.
She was equally excited to share screen space with Raghav Juyal. “Watching Raghav perform has been a coming full circle moment. I told him we are almost the same age, but I watched him grow up. It’s like watching someone from your neighborhood do it. I’m so proud of him because I know how hard he’s worked,” said the actor, as Raghav Juyal will be playing the lead role in a film for the first time.
‘Comedy gives me the greatest joy’
Niharika said that comedy remains her favorite genre and the one she connects with naturally. “I love comedy. I love watching it and doing it. Making someone smile or laugh is priceless. That satisfaction is something I’ve built my entire career around,” he says.
she believes Bhai Tera Star Hai It also stands out for its cast: “If you look at it carefully, everyone in the film is outsiders. Nobody is an insider. Everyone has fought to be where they are. That passion is shown on the screen.”
Calling the film “crazy,” he laughed: “The script is crazy and I think I fit the crazy thing perfectly.” Among all her memories from the film, a scene alongside Raghav Juyal remains the most special. “My favorite scene with Raghav wasn’t even written as it appears on screen. We improvised it completely and just matched each other’s energy. That’s when I realized how much a co-actor can elevate a scene,” he added.
He added that working on an ensemble film taught him valuable lessons. “I learned at least one thing from each person on set. Ensemble films are challenging because you work with so many people and so many perspectives, but they also teach you a lot in a very short time,” said the actor.
About representation
Growing up and watching South Indian films, Niharika never imagined that someone like her would be in lead roles due to the lack of diversity there. “Every time I saw Mahesh Babu on screen, I wanted to be in those films. But as a child, I always thought that someone who looked like me could never be a leading lady because the representation of brown women was so minuscule,” she said.
She is happy that the public is slowly accepting actors who go beyond conventional beauty standards. “We are finally seeing women of all sizes, shades and colors being accepted. We still have a long way to go but I am glad the change has started,” the actress added as her Tamil romantic drama Idhayam Murali released in theaters on July 10, 2026.
On the public that accepts creators as actors
Niharika expressed that she feels insecure about people accepting her outside of social media, but says the reception to her latest acting venture has been phenomenal. She said: “The public has given me too much love, to the point where I don’t know what to do with it. My imposter syndrome tells me I don’t deserve it, but I know I deserve it, so I’m going to get all the love.”
She believes her South Indian audience has been especially supportive. She added: “They’ve seen me grow up online. They think of me as the girl next door, so they feel personally connected to me. That gives me the confidence to take bigger risks.”
What’s next?
Niharika revealed that she has several Tamil projects in the pipeline and unlike her recent films, these will explore much darker territory. “Next we are going to do a lot of projects in Tamil. They are not comedy or romance. They are much darker and I am excited to play an absolute crazy person,” she concluded.
