Mumbai, May 21 (IANS): While many might feel that being an influencer is all about collecting free items and getting famous easily, actor Ritvik Sahore disagrees.

The actor, who plays the role of an influencer in Siddharth Kumar Tewary's upcoming web series 'Escaype Live', says that it's not easy to get people to follow you.

"There are pros and cons to being an influencer. It's a great way to earn money but you need to draw a line, and decide how far you will go. Content creators don't have it easy because there are so many content creators these days. It's very easy to get lost in the crowd. You really need to stand out with your content, it has to be unique. It is difficult. It is a struggle to be seen and noticed," he says.

Talking about his role in the show, he says" "I play the role of Aamcha Spider. That's what he's known as on the app but his real name is Nilesh. He's a boy from the Asalpha Chawl. He lives with his mom and dad and he's from a low status of society and he really wants to break out of it and give himself and his parents a better life."

"He has the confidence and is willing to do anything to achieve that. That's when this competition comes up on Escaype and he becomes part of it. I was really attracted to his confidence and the charisma that he has. I also loved his will to do anything."

The actor is confident that many people will relate to the show. "This show is definitely a mirror to the generation and the society that we are a part of today. When I first heard the narration, it was three and a half years ago that's when I got on board for the project, and we started shooting. But then two waves of Covid hit us and we had to stop production and then start again and eventually finished the show after three and a half years."

"In those three and a half years, the reach of social media has grown exponentially and it's become such an important part of our lives these days. Reels, videos, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, all of these apps are so important today."

"So, I think it's all the more relevant today and I definitely relate to it at every level, because I am very active on social media and it is a big part of my life. The story is definitely a mirror to society, that's what we are trying to do, show the lives of influencers. And what goes on behind the scenes," he says.

While people go to varying lengths to achieve fame on social media, one should set one's own limits, says Ritvik. "There is definitely a thin line and that line is something that I've defined for myself. I used to be really affected by social media and what people used to say on social media about me and about other things."

"But I have learnt that social media is not my life. it's just a tool to connect to people and if used the right way, it can actually help you. So, I just drew the line and it's just that and you should be the one controlling it and not vice versa. I just use social media for entertainment now. I go back to my real life after that as that's where my real people are. And that's where my family is," he says.

He adds: "I feel that this web series is the first of its kind, especially in the Indian OTT space. I'm very thrilled to be part of it. I'm very excited but at the same time, I am very nervous also. I'm very proud of what we've pulled off over these three and a half years."

"Siddharth sir and his whole team, they've added so much enthusiasm and passion to the project. They had to travel all over the country to shoot different stories and I can imagine how difficult it must have been for them to do this as the country battled two deadly Covid waves. I'm really proud of everyone and we've got here eventually and are looking forward to the release."

Talking about working with Siddharth Kumar Tewary, the actor says: "Working with Siddharth Sir has been such a great experience. That's all I can say! He's such a warm, gentle director who never shouts. It's always fun shooting on the sets and he really knows what he wants. He has that vision and he has the passion to achieve it."

"He will never settle for anything less, which is what I love about him the most. He really pushes people to do better. He was involved with 10 other things apart from directing the show, but he was always there, working as hard as anyone on the set. I think he has really guided me as well as all the actors throughout the shoot."

"And this couldn't have been possible without him. He's so collaborative and gives you that freedom, which is very encouraging as an actor. When you have a director like him, you really want to give your best. It's been a great learning experience for me. I've learnt a lot and I've enjoyed it a lot."

He adds: "This is also the first time that I'm doing action on screen and it has been a great experience. I train for parkour for around eight to nine months. And my coach Deepak Mali, really gave me that confidence. He gave me that push and I was very scared initially, but he pulled it off. I was directed by Mr Sham Kaushal for the action scenes and that has been one surreal experience. He took such good care of me. He was so patient with me while I was doing action scenes."