Aparna Tilak recalls the love and popularity actors enjoyed in the absence of social media, says 'It was real and precious' - Exclusive

Actress Aparna Tilak, who enjoyed immense popularity in late 90's for her role of Sanjana in Ekta Kapoor's show 'Kohi Apna Sa' and earlier as Rashmi in Family no. 1 feels the love and popularity actors enjoyed in the absence of social media was precious.

She said, "Honestly it's very difficult for us to imagine a time when social media I'm not exactly sure when facebook started but I think it was the first big platform to connect with fans! Before that social media was literally meeting people and communicating with them it was about being social and communicating with the people who love your work… there was no much exposure."

She continued, "Most of us who were acting during the late 90s in the industry always made time to talk to people, to meet to greet, to chat and always be open to claim the goodie bags of good wishes that our fans, basically the people who followed our work and appreciated us with the Live gestures. We couldn't fake those or buy like we get an option today to increase our followers and likes."

"So whether it was going for events or occasions where there was an opportunity to connect with people I always did my best to talk, smile, discuss the shows that they liked sometimes used to carry those old camera's take pictures. When I use to move out for shopping or work they use to come and I use to always make sure to spend my two minutes with them," she added.

The actress feels the privacy is lacking today and are confused about the content they are sharing.

She shared, "There wasn’t an over exposure, there was still a desire for people to know what the actors looked like or what they wore etc as Insta had not yet taken off, there was a genuine curiosity! If I talk about today, Stalking, identity theft, personal attacks, and misuse of information are some of the threats faced by us on social media. Most of the time, the users themselves are to blame as they share content that should not be in the public eye. The confusion arises from a lack of understanding of how the private and public elements of an online profile actually work. I guess today social media is more about money making options."

She remembers fan used to take permission from makers to see us.

"We often had loads of people coming to our shoots on various occasions to chat or ask for an autograph, or a snap. If I'm not mistaken they would write to the Channels or producers asking for the permission too .Those were the days! Nonetheless I'm of the firm belief that if you do not claim all the lovely, good wishes that your fans shower you with you are definitely missing something very precious," she concluded.

Aparna earlier revealed that she quit acting and shifted to Dubai with family.