Narendra Modi: Why Is a Leader Who Spent Years Building a Strong Image Now Creating Gen Z Reels?
Image source, Reuters
Many from India’s Gen Z may not see Narendra Modi as a peer, yet the Prime Minister is actively trying to engage with them in this very informal manner.
The 75-year-old leader has long cultivated an image of strength through carefully crafted speeches, formal addresses, and deliberate media portrayals.
However, in recent weeks, he has begun posting informal videos and selfie-style clips on Instagram, a popular photo and video platform favored by young people.
Shift in Style
Until about a month ago, Modi’s timeline was limited to carefully selected posts.
Now, he addresses young people as “friends” and shares clear, lively selfie-style videos.
In one video, he uses popular Gen Z phrases while addressing a student convocation in Delhi.
Modi’s Instagram has 106 million followers, making him one of the world’s political leaders with the largest social media audiences.
Yet previously, the platform did not play a core role in his or his party’s (BJP’s) social media strategy for conveying messages.
Digital tools were credited as a major factor in BJP’s victory in the 2014 general election.
However, this year, youth-led protests in India have shifted the landscape.
A satirical movement led by the Kakroach Janata Party (CJP), powered by memes, live streams, and Instagram reels, forced a federal minister to resign.
The BJP seemed surprised at the protesters’ ability to translate online trends into street demonstrations.
Analysts note that the Hindu nationalist party has built a powerful online political presence over the past decade through WhatsApp groups, Facebook pages, and X (formerly Twitter).
Still, young Indians experience online content and politics differently.
More than 60 percent of India’s population is under 35, and the Gen Z group (born between 1997 and 2012) is expected to become the largest voting bloc by the 2029 general election.
Mockery of Posts
Reaching this generation through platforms like Instagram is crucial because they favor personal and unfiltered content over traditional political messages.
However, shortly after Modi’s posts, young users began mocking those posts.
When Modi’s first selfie-video reel was released amid ongoing protests, it was met with satire.
In the reel, Modi says “friends” and pauses momentarily, a moment that young people highlighted.
Various edited versions trending online added jokes and mocked the lighting and camera angles of the video.
Image source, NurPhoto via Getty Images
In response, Modi’s team appears to have started paying closer attention to these issues.
Some young people praise Modi’s efforts, while others question the timing.
22-year-old Jeanie Maliya says she understands why BJP wants to expand its reach among her age group but believes the sudden increase in efforts deserves scrutiny.
Though the videos use Gen Z’s language and style, they do not address why the protests persist as they are.
Not only Modi’s account but also BJP’s social media pages have begun adopting memes and Gen Z styles.
For example, as the protests ended, BJP posted a reel recorded in a gym where youths and trainers discussed “why to stay away from protests,” but many called it “embarrassing.”
Another video featured the music of the popular 1990s series Friends, favored by millennials but possibly not resonating with Gen Z.
According to Maliya, her friends view these videos only as “fun content,” not as political messaging or an engagement attempt.
It appears BJP’s attempts to communicate with young people through these means are falling short.
During the protests, Modi instructed his cabinet ministers to expand their social media engagement with youth.
Last Wednesday, federal ministers received ‘report cards’ on their social media performance and were urged to increase their presence across platforms.
Recently, the party removed Amit Malviya, who had led its social media efforts since 2015. Analysts suggest this was due to the inability to control rising online criticism and messages against the party during the protests.
Congress Also Targets Youth
BJP is not the only party attempting to engage more with young voters.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who frequently posts selfie videos and photos on Instagram, invited questions with an “Ask Me Anything” session following youth protests.
However, attracting attention on Instagram and controlling the conversation there are two different challenges.
Image source, Reuters
Joyajit Paul, who teaches political use of social media at the University of Michigan, says BJP’s success relied heavily on a network of active supporters on Twitter and WhatsApp, but this strategy doesn’t translate well to Instagram.
Instagram favors content with high engagement—frequent views, shares, and comments—which helps such content spread widely.
“A reel from an account with only 200 followers can get ten million views, whereas one from a big account may only get a few thousand,” Paul explains.
“This poses a challenge for BJP because their strategy is network-centric, but today’s platforms are influence-centric.”
Another problem for BJP is what happens after posting a video.
Modi’s first reel was viewed 400 million times but, according to analyst Anurag Minus Verma, youth mocked and remixed it, spreading a message different from what Modi intended.
“Even reels containing serious political messages can be trolled,” he explained about Instagram’s platform characteristics.
Experts say BJP’s efforts to win over Gen Z may not carry much weight.
The party’s successes still primarily depend on organizational strength and loyal supporters’ base, not just Instagram content.
“Winning elections and effectively communicating on social media are different matters,” Paul says. “Even if Gen Z stays off social media, BJP can still succeed electorally.”
Like others in India’s political arena, BJP is learning to operate in new domains.
Given their history of early social media adoption, use of podcasts, and influencer interviews, it would not be surprising if they adapt successfully.
“But it takes time. The current challenge is that they need to learn the new rules,” Paul concludes.
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