Adrija Roy on TV fame: 'Success takes time, popularity is short-lived'
Synopsis
Adrija Roy, who plays Rahi Kapadia in Anupamaa, has delivered a rare honest take on Indian TV: viral moments and social media buzz are not success. Her argument — that popularity is short-lived while real craft demands patience and consistency — cuts against the instant-fame logic that dominates the current entertainment conversation.
Key Takeaways
Adrija Roy , who plays Rahi Kapadia in Anupamaa , opened up about the realities of building a TV career on 8 June .
She said social media fame is 'often short-lived' and that success on television 'takes time.' Roy drew a clear distinction between popularity (viral, temporary) and success (consistency, hard work, craft).
She described patience as a working discipline that has made her 'more focused, disciplined, and calmer.' Anupamaa , in which she stars alongside lead actress Rupali Ganguly , is one of Indian television's most-watched daily soaps.
Television actress Adrija Roy, currently seen in the popular daily soap Anupamaa, has spoken candidly about the demands of building a lasting career in Indian television, emphasising that genuine success is earned through consistency and craft — not overnight recognition.
The Reality of TV's Relentless Pace
Roy described the grind behind every episode with striking clarity. 'Television is fast. You might be shooting for an episode that might be going on air the next day or the day after that. And in every call time, every schedule, there is a lot of hard work that goes behind it, by a very big team,' she said. 'Sometimes things are happening one after the other and sometimes at the same time, yet an actor needs to be calm and focused.'
The actress stressed that the pressure of live turnarounds and overlapping schedules demands a level of mental discipline that many newcomers underestimate.
Why Fame and Success Are Not the Same Thing
Roy drew a sharp distinction between fleeting popularity and durable success — a nuance she argued is often lost on those entering the industry. 'Fame in the TV industry doesn't happen overnight, and social media fame is often short-lived, so if someone is coming to the industry thinking one good performance and everyone will be talking about them, that doesn't happen on TV. Being successful on TV takes time,' she said.
She elaborated further: 'People need to realize that there is a difference between being popular and being successful. Popularity is often short-lived. It can come from a viral scene, social media buzz, and even rumors, but success takes time; it needs consistency, hard work, and working on their craft. So if one wants to be really successful, they need to be patient and work on themselves.'
Patience as a Professional Discipline
For Roy, patience is not merely a virtue but a working methodology. 'It has made me more focused, disciplined, and calmer. I approach my work differently now, and it has taught me that if you try to do a scene in a hurry, you might spoil it, but if you give it time and take things slow, you will end up making it a memorable one,' she noted.
This philosophy, she suggested, is what separates performers who endure in the industry from those who burn bright briefly and fade.
Adrija Roy in Anupamaa
Roy is currently portraying the character Rahi Kapadia in Anupamaa, one of Indian television's most-watched daily soaps, which stars Rupali Ganguly in the titular lead role. The show's enduring viewership makes it a demanding but high-profile platform for any actor looking to establish long-term credibility.
As the conversation around social media virality versus sustained craft continues to grow in the entertainment industry, Roy's perspective offers a grounded counterpoint — one that industry veterans have long echoed but rarely articulate as plainly.
Point of View
But it is rarely stated this plainly by someone currently inside a top-rated show. What is worth watching is whether the industry's casting and contract structures actually reward the latter, or whether they continue to chase the former. The rise of short-form content and OTT has made the 'one viral scene' logic more tempting than ever, making Roy's counterpoint both timely and, frankly, commercially inconvenient for platforms that profit from exactly the buzz she is cautioning against.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Adrija Roy say about fame in the TV industry?
Roy said that fame in the TV industry does not happen overnight and that social media fame is often short-lived. She cautioned aspiring actors against expecting instant recognition from a single strong performance, stressing that sustained success requires consistency and craft.
What is the difference between popularity and success according to Adrija Roy?
According to Roy, popularity can come from a viral scene, social media buzz, or even rumours, and is often temporary. Success, by contrast, requires time, hard work, consistency, and continuous work on one's craft.
What role does Adrija Roy play in Anupamaa?
Adrija Roy plays Rahi Kapadia in Anupamaa, one of Indian television's highest-rated daily soaps. The show's lead role is portrayed by Rupali Ganguly.
Why does Adrija Roy consider patience important for TV actors?
Roy considers patience a professional discipline, not just a personal trait. She said it has made her more focused, disciplined, and calmer, and that rushing through a scene risks spoiling it, while taking time can make it memorable.
