If The Traitors has taught viewers anything about Rida Tharana so far, it is that the Bengaluru girl knows how to stay in the game without making too much noise. In Season 2, Rida has made it through the opening episodes, navigating round-table eliminations without drawing heavy suspicion or becoming a target. But there is more to Rida than a reality-show strategy. Long before The Traitors, she had already built her own audience, carving a space for herself as a digital content creator.
Today, her Instagram following stands at over a million, with content that speaks openly about women’s empowerment, body positivity and self-love; while questioning the familiar expectations placed on women around patriarchy, gender discrimination and marriage. Originally from Kodagu, Karnataka, Rida moved to Bengaluru, where she found her footing professionally. Her transition towards full-time content creation turned out to be more than a career pivot. It gave Rida a platform of her own, one where the conversation could move beyond the conventional brief and towards the subjects she cared about. Her digital presence has since grown into a community of more than a million followers.
And then came Cannes. In May, Rida made her high-profile red carpet debut at the Cannes Film Festival, bringing Indian designers and her South Indian roots to one of the world’s most watched red carpets. It was a fitting next chapter for someone who had already spent years making a space for herself on her own terms. Now, The Traitors brings a different kind of spotlight. Here, the challenge is not building an audience but reading a room, surviving suspicion and knowing when to speak and when to hold back. We sat down with the actress to do a deep dive into her interests, beginning with understanding why she won’t be appearing more on our screens!
Is there any new project that you have signed where your fans can see you next?
I love how you guys are manifesting this for me because I do not see myself as an actor. I basically might just be travelling and mostly make a series out of it. So that is the only show that anyone will be seeing.
Rida is a name that has become synonymous with fashion. Tell us about your signature style, the pieces you always reach for, a recent trend you’ve been obsessed with and the accessory you never leave home without?
When it comes to my style, I think anything that accentuates my body is what I lean towards. I absolutely love body-hugging, fitted clothes, corsets and baggy pants. Lately, I’ve also been drawn to Chinese-inspired fashion, especially outfits with those frog buttons. That’s a trend I’ve been obsessed with recently. As for accessories, I never take off my pearl-beaded gold chain. It’s something I never leave home without. And definitely a spritz of perfume.
Walk us through your makeup and skincare routines that you swear by?
When it comes to makeup, I’m mostly a concealer girl. I don’t apply much foundation unless it’s an event that requires a stronger base. Some of my go-tos are a very baby-pink blush, mascara, chocolate-brown/mocha lipstick and gloss in the shade hibiscus. I finish with either setting spray or loose powder and any kind of kajal works for me. This is my basic routine for a full face of makeup on a regular day. When it comes to skincare, I lean towards a lot of hydration. My routine is very simple and more ingredient-based than product-based. In the morning, hyaluronic acid is a must. I start with a toner that works for me, followed by Vitamin C serum, under-eye cream, moisturiser and sunscreen. As long as a product doesn’t cause break-outs, I don’t mind experimenting with different brands. The minute I get a pimple, I stop using it. At night, I follow the same routine, but swap Vitamin C for retinol. I also love a lot of Korean and Japanese brands.
Hair is a different story altogether. How do you manage and style your curls to have a good hair day?
You need to pray to literally every god at this point, hoping that your curls turn out the same way they did last time. Being a curly-haired girl is so different from having straight hair and it’s something I’m still learning because I straightened my hair for years. Now that I’ve started embracing my curls, understanding the products, routine, humidity and even how the water affects my hair is crazy. Day one is when I do my whole curl wash, put in my curl cream and diffuse my hair. That’s when I have the most luscious curls. By day three, I start building hair-styles, usually a messy bun. Unlike straight hair, you can’t just gather all your curls, put them in a claw clip and expect them to fall gracefully when you open it. Absolutely not. In Bengaluru, when the weather is nice, my curls do well. The same weather in Mumbai doesn’t support my curls at all. So it’s a constant fight!
Switching to another favourite subject of yours — what kind of traveller are you? Do you prefer slow, leisurely holidays or packing your days with experiences?
When it comes to travel, I love solo travel - ling because it pushes me to enjoy my time, do things by myself, experiment and learn in new places. I do travel with people, but it’s not as common. I’m a blend of everything. I do leisure too. There’ll be a day when I don’t do anything — I sleep in, slowly wake up, go see the place, sit in a park and read a book. Then on day two, I might have booked 50 experiences, going from one spot to another and trying to finish everything. Day three could be with my camera, photographing the place and capturing it as I see it. I also book different restaurants to understand the cuisine, how they cook and what they cook. I’m very experience-driven and book a cooking class wherever I go to understand the cuisine, how they make the food and how to go about it. So, travel for me is about blending it all. Maybe on the last day, I’ll keep it very slow and just chill. I don’t force myself into seeing everything because I don’t think, ‘oh my god, I’m never going to see this place again.’ If I don’t see something, it’s fine. I move on, knowing I’ll come back again. It entirely depends on my mood, but I’m very experiencedriven. I want to experience the culture, food and people of a place. That’s what stays with me.
Is there a new venture or creative endeavour you’d like to explore?
I do plan on starting something of my own. I haven’t really ventured into it as yet, but hopefully it will be something that I connect with. Maybe something to do with saris because I love wearing them or curly hair or jewellery. Something that I associate myself with and people are able to associate with if I go on to create a brand.
What does Rida do when there’s no camera rolling?
I love schedules — or rather, I love having a certain rhythm to my life and a sched - ule to follow. At this point, I think I have all of them figured out. I’m a very boring person at the end of the day. I go to bed at 10 and wake up at 6. I love going on walks and mornings are when I read my book and try to finish it. I cook my own break - fast and then it’s usually work, meetings and shoots, followed by the gym. Once I’m back, I’m either watching a series, pick - ing up my book again or simply chilling. And every now and then, I just go out to a café and chill.
Lastly, take us through some of your go-to spots in the city?
I’m a through-and-through Bengaluru girl, but I also feel like specifically I’m a through-and-through Indiranagar girl because that’s where I live and things have worked in my favour. I love Nagarjuna’s Bhojanam and their mutton biryani. I crave it. One of my favourite tiramisus is from Corner House. Natraj Chole Bhature is good, but it’s not as amazing as the one in Delhi. Apart from this, I love the Ghee Roast and Neer Dosa at Shetty Lunch Home. Their Kori Roti is also yummy.
The Traitors is streaming on Amazon Prime.
For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.