Exclusive: Rida Tharana on Overcoming Career Setbacks and Staying True to Herself

Meet Rida Tharana, a talented content creator making waves in the industry. With her expertise in anchoring, modelling, and creating content, Rida has established herself as a well-rounded media personality. In this interview, Rida shares insights into her preparation process for anchoring and modelling gigs, common misconceptions about working in the media industry, and how she balances her personal and professional life. Read on to learn more about Rida Tharana and her journey in the media industry.

Can you walk us through your modelling gig preparation process?

The preparation process for anchoring and modelling gigs is different. We start by learning about the events and understanding whether they are corporate, non-corporate, or wedding events. We typically receive an alignment and a list of activities that need to be done for corporate events. We then tweak them based on our engagement with the audience, playing games, giving out awards, and anything else that comes our way. In corporate events, the crowd is usually static, whereas, in non-corporate events, the crowd is non-static, such as in malls where people keep walking in and out. As anchors, we prepare for specific activities to engage with the audience and make them aware of what we are doing. We also have a brief session with the client to understand their target and expectations.

For weddings, the preparation process requires more effort as we need to learn about the bride and groom, their family, their language, and the games they like. It's a fun process, and I genuinely enjoy preparing for both events.

Regarding modelling gigs, we receive a brief before the shoot. The brief includes every minute detail necessary for the shoot, from clothing to expression and pose. We go bare-faced. The makeup artist takes care of our appearance. They tell us about the number of outfits we will be wearing and the type of pose and mood required, such as subtle, bold, or with a smile. Once we get the hang of it, the process becomes easier and faster.

What are some common misconceptions about working in the media industry, and how do you address them?

One of the most common misconceptions about working in the media industry is that creating content is easy. Many people believe that all it takes is shooting a video and speaking or dancing in front of the camera. However, they don't realize the effort into creating content, finding a suitable location with good lighting, recording a voice-over, and editing the final product to achieve the perfect pitch and engagement. The result may be a 30-second video, but it is far from an easy job. Another misconception is that being in the public domain means people have the right to comment on anything without thinking twice, even if it gets too personal. While constructive feedback is always welcome, it's essential to remember that media professionals also have personal lives and families and deserve respect and privacy.

How do you balance your personal life with your professional life as an anchor, model, and content creator?

As an anchor, model, and content creator, I try to balance my personal and professional life by prioritizing my work as a content creator and occasionally taking modelling gigs that add value to my portfolio. Although I travel frequently for work, I experiment with my content and do not limit myself to one niche. However, I also keep certain aspects of my personal life private while sharing experiences I feel comfortable sharing with my audience. If I ever feel mentally drained or overwhelmed, I take a break and spend time with loved ones. As a content creator, I strive to maintain authenticity by sharing a balance of both my professional and personal life.

What is your favourite project or collaboration that you've worked on, and why?

My favourite collaboration was with Meta for a trip to South Africa, where we covered the Women's World Cup. It was an incredible experience because I got to meet players from different teams and interact with them, and we had the freedom to create content as we pleased. This memory will always stay with me.

Can you share a challenging moment or setback you faced in your career, and how did you overcome it?

As for setbacks, there have been many challenging moments in my career. When I first started anchoring, it took me two years to find my footing and realize I could do it. Then the pandemic happened, and I had to switch to corporate for a while. As a content creator, there are times when you experience exponential growth followed by a drop, and it can be challenging to know how to handle it.

I once hit rock bottom and started comparing myself to other creators, feeling like I couldn't continue. It took me about two months to get back to my confident self and four months of therapy to realize that I shouldn't compare my work to others because everyone has ups and downs. I stopped looking at other creators' content as competition and focused on improving myself and creating content I was proud of.