Niharika NM, the social media star who has acquired a millions of followers with her comedy sketches and videos, began her new journey with movies down South and now is venturing into Hindi film industry as well. The internet sensation is set to make her Hindi film debut in Bhai Tera Star Hai with Raghav Juyal, which arrives in cinemas on July 31. Talking about the transition from social media to the big screen and promoting her two films together, Niharika told Hindustan Times that it has been an ‘incredible journey’ full of emotions and challenges.
Paused content creation for acting
Known for her viral sketches and multilingual content, Niharika confessed that exiting the business was not easy for her. She said, “I stopped making content probably three years ago and it was a risk that I was willing to take at the peak of my social media career as a content creator because I truly believed that I wanted to be part of bigger, larger stories that I was passionate about telling. It was a risk I was willing to take, and I think it is slowly paying off.”
The actor further stated that quitting her social media career and a hefty paycheck that came with it was intimidating. “The process of transitioning can be a little daunting because leaving something you’re already good at and that makes you a lot of money is quite a risk to take. But I believed in myself. Worst-case scenario, I know how to build myself back up. That much faith I have in myself,” she said.
Niharika added that she decided to concentrate on learning the craft of acting instead of trying to balance both careers. “I wanted to fully jump into acting because I wanted to really learn. I wanted to do well and actually be accepted by the audience not just for my personality on the internet, but also for my work as an actor. I feel a lot of responsibility and pressure, but it’s also been a lovely journey of figuring out what makes me happy,” the actor added.
Theatre kid background
Niharika NM responded to the idea that she was able to score the projects by using her popularity on social media as she revealed that she has been a passionate actress and that acting has been her dream.
“I’ve always been a theatre kid. I graduated from Chapman University, where I did my MBA and MFA. Storytelling has always been what I wanted to do. What I did on the internet was also storytelling, just packaged differently,” she said.
On making her Hindi debut with Bhai Tera Star Hai
She further added that learning multiple languages also helped her to explore various fields. Speaking about Bhai Tera Star Hai, she said that director Vivek Agarwal had given her the role of Rashmi in the film. “He definitely saw me as Rashmi. She’s feisty, flippant but all heart. The entire experience has honestly been magical. I expected roadblocks, but the cast, crew, director and producer Avantika have all been incredible. It has been the best time,” she added.
She was equally excited about sharing screen space with Raghav Juyal. “Watching Raghav perform has been such a full-circle moment. I told him that we are almost the same age, but I watched him growing up. It feels like seeing someone from your neighbourhood make it. I’m so proud of him because I know how hard he’s worked,” the actor said, as Raghav Juyal will be in the leading role in a movie for the very first time.
‘Comedy gives me the greatest joy’
Niharika said comedy remains her favourite genre and one she naturally connects with. “I love comedy. I love watching it and doing it. Making somebody smile or laugh is priceless. That satisfaction is something I’ve built my entire career around,” she says.
She believes Bhai Tera Star Hai also stands out because of its cast: “If you really look at it, everybody in the film is an outsider. Nobody is an insider. Everyone has fought to be where they are. That passion shows on screen.”
Calling the film “nuts,” she laughed, “The script is nuts and I just think I’m a great fit for nuts.” Among all her memories from the film, one scene opposite Raghav Juyal remains the most special. “My favourite scene with Raghav wasn’t even scripted the way it appears on screen. We completely improvised it and just matched each other’s energy. That’s when I realised how much a co-actor can elevate a scene,” she added.
She added that working on an ensemble film taught her valuable lessons. “I learnt at least one thing from every single person on set. Ensemble films are challenging because you’re working with so many people and so many perspectives, but they also teach you so much in a very short time,” the actor said.
On representation
While growing up, watching South Indian movies, Niharika never imagined that someone like her would be in the lead roles because of the lack of diversity there. “Every time I watched Mahesh Babu on screen, I wanted to be in those films. But growing up, I always thought somebody who looked like me could never be a leading lady because the representation of dusky women was so minuscule,” she said.
She is happy that audiences are slowly embracing actors beyond conventional beauty standards. “We’re finally seeing women of all sizes, shades and colours being accepted. We still have a long way to go, but I’m glad the change has started,” the actor added as her Tamil romantic drama, Idhayam Murali, premiered in cinemas on July 10, 2026.
On audiences accepting creators as actors
Niharika expressed feeling insecure about people accepting her outside of social media, but she says that the reception of her last acting venture has been nothing short of phenomenal. She said, “The audience has given me too much love—to the point that I don’t know what to do with it. My imposter syndrome tells me I don’t deserve it, but I know I do, so I’m going to take all the love.”
She believes her South Indian audience has particularly rooted for her. She added, “They’ve watched me grow up on the internet. 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 she has several Tamil projects lined up, and unlike her recent films, these will explore much darker territory. “We’re doing a bunch of Tamil projects next. They’re not comedy or romance. They’re much darker, and I’m excited to play an absolute nut job,” she concluded.
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