Comedienne, actress and super-popular influencer, Dolly Singh, hopes 2025 will allow her to discover unfulfilled dreams and more…

If you haven’t seen Dolly Singh, you’re probably not on Instagram. The adorable comedienne, influencer and actress has come a long way from when she burst into all our social media feeds just before the COVID-19 lockdowns. Since then, she has debuted in films (Double XL & Thank You For Coming), several series’ including Modern Love Mumbai on Amazon Prime Video and is now back with the second season of her popular Instagram show Best Worst Date. The show, which is already live on the social media platform has seven episodes and is raking in viewers with every passing second. We catch up with Dolly to talk about the show, her career, what 2025 might mean to her and lots more!

Do tell us about Best Worst Date, Season 2?

I’m very excited because Season 2 has only happened because there was a demand for it. To see people indulge in that sort of storytelling, wait for the episodes, really invest their time and interest has been quite fulfilling. It’s also really a lot of fun because I am someone who, as a creator, enjoys more long form content and I always wanted to try and find a way where I can satisfy my love for long form writing as well as tackle short form content. So, this was a way to do both things simultaneously — to write a long story and then cut it down into pieces and still make sure it follows a pattern and it has a beginning and an end and that it ends on a cliffhanger, so you have an incentive to come back.

The show is doing really well and you’ve been successful at everything you’ve put your efforts into, so far. But what is it that drives you in terms of a craft you’d like to pursue?

It has to be storytelling because it combines everything. I don’t think I would fit into one category, even though I started in comedy and that’s something people associate me with, but at the same time, as an artiste, there is this want and need to create more and to show people what else you have to offer. Another revelation to myself recently was that I really enjoy writing and I really enjoy telling some sort of a story. So, storytelling is what I would pick because it will give me a chance to cover the variety of things that I want to express — whether it’s through comedy, whether it’s fashion, whether it’s a rom-com, like I’m doing right now. I’d like to dabble in a lot of things — production, writing or even direction for that matter. In 2025, I’m also hoping that I get to take a backseat a little bit more and just maybe take myself out from in front of the camera and just direct, just really see how I can bring my vision to life without having to use my own face.

Now, a lot of people who’ve come from the same kind of background (that you have come from) have moved to Mumbai, but I think you’re still based out of Delhi. Why did you make that decision to stay rooted in Delhi?

I’m not going to lie, there’s been a lot of pressure and I’ve had moments… not moments, but months where I’ve tried to look for a house in Mumbai. I’ve really been toying with that idea. I’m still toying with it to some extent. But I’ve had 12 years of living in Delhi, where I’ve already uprooted myself from another town (Nainital) and really made a life here. I have a partner, I have a dog and I have a fulfilling life here. So, I think, I’ve come to the conclusion that as an adult, I would also like to prioritise not just my career, but also my personal life. I have to give time to Delhi and I have to keep this home here because I can’t expect my partner to just be okay with everything. I want to sustain both these things.

You’re one of the few content producers that has always taken a very strong woke stand. Did you make that decision earlier on in your career?

I think, there have been moments where I’ve extensively thought about it. I don’t think it began like that. I’m sure I’ve made content which could be problematic now and I could get torn apart for it and rightfully so. But I feel like over the years, as you grow, you also educate yourself, you also grow as a person and you learn about these things. I think woke culture in itself has only come into my life in the last few years. I have been trying to educate myself as much as I can. So, the conscious decision here that I’ve really made is — if you have a following, you have a certain responsibility. That’s how I would like to function in my life and I take that responsibility very seriously. Also, I feel like anytime I write something, I need it to have some sort of take away. Is it a question? Is it a learning? Is it eye opening? Are you going to sit with it for a few days and think about? I want to leave my audiences with something that they can use. I don’t want to be a part of doom scrolling for them.

You have been an active voice in the movement for body positivity, do tell us about that?

I think most of what I write comes from my life experiences. So, it just eventually does become a lot about what my journey has been like, what I’ve been through. And yes, I actively try to make content, which I wish I had seen when I was younger or when I was going through those things or when that kind of bullying was happening around me. I wish, I had this person to look up to and be like: yeah, she looks like me. She seems okay and maybe, I will be too. So, you know, I feel like if I can just give girls that representation — whether it’s your personality, whether it’s your body, whether it’s the way you are or the music you like — it can be anything, but I feel like that sort of representation really does matter and so, I’d like to always be that person who can be that.  

You always look amazing — do tell us about your fitness and skin care regimen?

I do have my days where I’m like, I don’t have the energy to go to the washroom and put five products on my face. I’m a little lazy about these things sometimes. But I do, of course, go to the gym. For me, though, it’s more about weight gain than losing weight. Because losing weight is just an instant thing for me. So, for me, it’s the other way around. About my skin, yes, there are like four or five products that I’ve learned about over the years from the people that I work with — makeup artistes. They’ve helped me find the four or five things that really work for me. I don’t think I am someone who experiments a lot or is like,”Oh, my God, there’s this new product on the market. Let me try it out.” If it becomes a habit, it becomes a habit and if it’s good, it’s good. I don’t need to change it.

It’s tough to ignore your personal style. Was fashion always something that’s important to you?

I was always looking for fashion magazines, saving up to buy them and reading whatever I could. Growing up, I would watch a lot of FTV and all these America’s Next Top Model kind of shows. I think, I always wanted to have a lot of clothes, a lot of shoes, which I didn’t have. I wanted to be a fashion designer at one point, which didn’t happen. Then, I eventually did do a master’s in fashion, which was fashion management from NIFT Delhi and I had a blog where I would write twice a week about fashion. There is some sort of connection that I just feel when I put on an outfit and I feel a certain way — good fashion can really change your day around.

Finally, what do you want in 2025?

In 2025, I would love to make a lot more of these episodic series sort of things, bringing my visions to life. I’ve made these mini films on Instagram once in a while, but I would like to do more of those — a lot more of cinematic experiences for people to watch on their phones. I want to take people out of doom scrolling, so I want to keep supplying original content in whatever way or form. I think, that’s what I’m looking forward to a lot, because I want to experiment more. I hope acting happens for me a lot more besides my own content too. I would also like to just elevate my own work and try to do bigger things. I wrote a short film, which, I would like to make and level up, basically. My resolutions for the new year would be just a lot of nice work, work that excites me, because I feel like the last couple of years, there was a time where I did feel like there was a plateau — at least, in my own sense of like, what am I doing? Where am I at? Where is the fun gone? You know, so, I feel like I want to reignite that spark. I would also love to travel more. I don’t get to travel as much as I would like to. And, yeah, maybe one more dog.

Best Worst Date is now streaming on Instagram.

Email: romal@newindianexpress.com

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