Prashant Kishor To Neha Bora: How Social Media Algorithms Give Us Instant Heroes

Social media algorithms have rewritten the rules of visibility in Indian public life. They do not reward traditional hierarchy, institutional experience or even consistent ideology. They reward engagement, outrage, novelty, humour, emotion and shareability. The result is a new class of algorithm-born stars who appear everywhere, regardless of a user’s political leanings. Prashant Kishor exemplifies the phenomenon. Once a behind-the-scenes strategist, he is now omnipresent after his Bankipur by-election victory. Short, sharp clips of his speeches, critiques of the status quo and youth-focused messaging travel relentlessly across feeds. Platforms amplify what keeps users scrolling; Kishor’s content delivers high retention, so the algorithm pushes it into timelines of both supporters and sceptics. Neha Bora and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) show how the same system can manufacture stars almost from nowhere. Founded by Abhijeet Dipke as satirical pushback against a judicial remark, CJP weaponized memes, AI-generated imagery and youth frustration over unemployment and exam scandals. Within days it amassed millions of followers. Neha Bora, an AISA activist linked to the movement’s hunger strikes and protests, became a recurring face after a viral dance video and protest footage. Algorithms detected the emotional charge and recirculated her content widely, making her unavoidable even for those who never sought her out. The same logic works in reverse. Established BJP-linked celebrities such as Ravi Kishan and Kangana Ranaut, once algorithm favourites, now face meme-driven decline when their content underperforms or invites ridicule. Platforms care little for loyalty; they care about what sustains attention. In the U.S., the 2016 Trump campaign thrived because X’s engagement-driven feed rewarded provocative posts, turning him into a constant presence. Similarly, TikTok’s For You page has elevated obscure creators into political voices, just as Instagram Reels did for CJP. In India, algorithms have made Kishor and Bora unavoidable digital fixtures while exposing how quickly yesterday’s stars can fade.