Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (75), who has long cultivated a strongman image, has in recent weeks adopted a more casual style on Instagram, the platform popular with young people. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing BBC News.
Modi has more than 106 million followers on Instagram, making him one of the most-followed political leaders on the platform. His timeline, which until a month ago featured carefully curated posts, now also includes more "candid" content, such as a get-ready-with-me reel and several selfie-style addresses to young people, whom he calls "friends".
In one video, he even refers to a phrase popular among Gen Z, saying, "first in my bloodline, external to build a rocket, a chip and a drone" while addressing students at a graduation ceremony in Delhi.
These changes came after the youth protests in India this year. The movement, led by the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), spread through memes, livestreams and Instagram reels before evolving into a force strong enough to make a federal minister resign. The CJP began as a joke, but its ability to turn online attention into street mobilisation and political pressure appeared to catch the BJP off guard.
More than 60% of India's population is under 35, and Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) is expected to form one of the country's largest voting blocs by the 2029 general election, experts say. Winning them over means reaching them on platforms such as Instagram, where personal and unfiltered content can resonate more than traditional political messaging.
Young users were quick to respond with sarcasm to Modi's first posts. Many mocked his first selfie-video reel, in which he broke his silence about the youth protests, but what really caught their attention was a long pause after Modi said "friends". Versions of it soon trended online, with users adding edits and jokes and mocking the lighting and camera angles.
In subsequent posts, Modi's team appeared to respond to some of that criticism, experimenting with different camera angles, backdrops and lighting. However, 22-year-old Ginni Malia is skeptical about the timing: "I understand why the BJP wants to connect with people my age, but the timing of this sudden increased engagement is what we really need to look at." She adds that the videos adopt Gen Z language and formats but fail to address concerns that fuelled the protests.
BJP social media pages have also started using memes, slang and pop-culture references to reach younger audiences. Shortly after the protests ended, the BJP posted a reel set in a gym, featuring young people and an older trainer arguing that young Indians should stay away from the protests. Many comments called the video "cringe". Another video had the 90s sitcom Friends title track playing in the background, with the caption "PM Modi is there for you", a reference to a show that has little recall value among Gen Z.
Malia says among her peers, these videos are seen as "comic content" rather than political messaging. According to reports, the BJP seems to be aware that its attempts to reach younger audiences were not landing as intended. During the protests, Modi reportedly asked his cabinet ministers to increase their social media engagement. On Wednesday, federal ministers were given a "report card" on their social media performance. The party also replaced its social media chief Amit Malviya, who had held the post since 2015, possibly due to criticism during the protests.
The BJP is not alone in trying to connect with younger audiences.