Actor Aditi Rao Hydari, last seen alongside Vijay Sethupathi and Arvind Swami in Gandhi Talks, has opened up about celebrity smear campaigns, misinformation, and the pressures of being an outsider in the film industry in a recent interview with The Hindustan Times.

Speaking about the growing culture of online negativity, Aditi acknowledged that smear campaigns are hardly new. “Celebrity smear campaigns aren’t new, but I see them around me all the time. Occasionally, I come across random rubbish about myself. I ignore it because I know there’s some agenda behind it,” she said.

She also expressed concern about the rapid spread of misinformation on platforms that claim to be factual. “There’s so much misinformation on platforms that are supposed to be factual,” she said, adding that the situation worsens when driven narratives come into play. “Add paid negativity and hidden agendas, and it becomes toxic. Sometimes, too much information is a burden. The mystery surrounding actors has faded.”

Amid the noise, Aditi shared that she relies on a personal grounding principle passed on by her mother. “My mother always said when someone is mean, the issue lies within them. That thought keeps me centred,” she said.

Reflecting on the idea of success and opportunity, especially for those without industry backing, the actor noted that talent and commercial performance don’t always go hand in hand. “Talent exists beyond success and failure. But if you’re an outsider, success influences opportunities. Even after a hit, you wait for the right scripts. Commercial success doesn’t automatically sort your year,” she explained.

Gandhi Talks, a silent film which hit theatres on January 30, is set to premiere on ZEE5 this Friday. Meanwhile, Aditi is currently busy working on Parivarik ManuRanjan in Hindi and Lioness in English. She is also a part of the Netflix original, O Saathi Re.