Dharna Durga's journey from mimicry videos to films amid personal loss

Influencer-turned-actor Dharna Durga’s journey from Instagram Reels to films has unfolded alongside personal loss, family responsibility and a fast-growing online presence. From her days at Delhi University and mimicry videos during the Covid-19 lockdown to acting roles in Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari and now Maa Behen, her path has moved through several distinct phases.

The transition was not straightforward. As her popularity on social media grew, Dharna lost her father during the second wave of the pandemic and joined the family business with her mother. She has said content creation became an escape during that period, even as acting on the big screen remained the larger goal.

In an earlier interaction with Hindustan Times, Dharna said she was deeply involved in extracurricular activities during her time at Delhi University. She was trying to choose between the dance club and the theatre club when the Covid-19 lockdown brought campus life to a halt. With time, energy and creativity but no outlet, she began looking for another way to perform.

At the time, she was not active on social media and thought it was a waste of time. During the lockdown, she and her friends began exchanging humorous mimicry videos as part of a challenge. Her friends liked what she was doing and urged her to post them online. She uploaded her first video in May 2020 and slowly began building an audience on Instagram.

Loss, work and an escape through content

Even as her social media presence grew, her personal life changed sharply. Dharna lost her father during the second wave of the pandemic and stepped into the family business with her mother.

Speaking to She The People, she said, “He was the main source of income. At that time, I joined my family business with my mother. But at the office, people thought that these were two women; they doubted whether we would be able to manage the business, and they thought that they could easily fool us. A lot of emotional turmoil was going on during that period."

"I didn't start content creation with the motive to earn, I didn't know what happens in this field. It was just my escape so that my mind would divert from that sad situation,” Dharna added.

Her rise on social media continued alongside that phase. In 2023, Forbes India named her the number one content creator from Delhi. In 2024, she was placed fourth on the list. She also collaborated with celebrities including Neha Kakkar, Vicky Kaushal and Rajkummar Rao.

From auditions to films

The move from auditions to films came in 2025 with her big-screen debut in Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor-starrer Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. She is now also part of Maa Behen, starring Madhuri Dixit and Triptii Dimri, which is streaming on Netflix.

Dharna has said she never felt she was being selected only because of her popularity, and pointed to the audition process she went through.

In a recent interview with India Today, she said she first auditioned in Delhi and then again before director Suresh Triveni, took feedback and went through the full process, so it never felt as if she had been picked only for her online reach.

By looking at her performance in the film, we totally agree.