We are all ageist in our own quintessential ways, even those of us who claim to oppose it.

With the advent of the digital age, the pressure to look young has become even more acute. In this series, we focus particularly on politicians. A host of studies point to politics becoming a digital performance — one where garnering visibility and chasing viral moments through curated aesthetics more often than not outweighs policy debate.

Gen Z prefers Instagram's short-video format as an effective way to interact, including for disseminating protest narratives. Politicians are following the trend. Leading the way is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has embraced this format to engage with the youth. He encourages party members, ministers, and parliamentarians to leverage social media platforms to showcase government initiatives. Someone dubbed him the "biggest influencer." He looks much younger than his age.

Most social platforms prioritize imagery and quick-video formats over dense policy text. The trend is short videos, catchy slogans, and visual stunts — no one apart from academics is interested in detailed policy papers. Virality demands attention, and attention, in turn, demands outrage, conflict, and emotional storytelling. Politicians are struggling to keep pace with this "instant reaction culture" — the pressure to respond promptly enough to feed the algorithm and go viral. A considered response after a time lag is no good. Silence is deafeningly loud in this scenario; even the prime minister has been at the receiving end of it.

So in this age of social media politics, looks matter. Whatever you call it — appearance, aesthetics, visual packaging — it shapes voter perception. Bad days ahead, then, for print journalists like me. If the prime minister can make the necessary adjustments, so should people like me — embrace the change.

The power of "first impressions" cannot be overstated. A user decides to stop or swipe away in a fraction of a second, which makes sharp visual branding crucial. Ample studies show that grooming, confident posture, and expressive presentation subconsciously project traits like trustworthiness and leadership — which, to a skeptic like me, could just as easily be misleading. But it has to be in the right balance: overly curated, fanciful posts make voters wary of a superficial display that masks a lack of competence.

Research confirms the obvious: politicians active on social media perform better in elections, more attractive candidates enjoy a vote premium, and attractive politicians tend to be more successful on social media. Notable exceptions include Donald Trump — who was a good-looking man in his younger days — and Boris Johnson, the former UK prime minister.

India's "Gen-Next" politicians, like their counterparts elsewhere, are prioritizing high-intensity gym routines, sports, and clean living — sometimes at the cost of traditional political narrative. Physical fitness is the new political mantra: a structured, health-conscious lifestyle to manage their visible and demanding public lives.

A few names are worth mentioning: Rahul Gandhi; Chirag Paswan; Kartikeya Singh Chouhan, son of Shivraj Singh Chouhan; Harish Nadda, the lawyer and social worker, son of J.P. Nadda; Kangana Ranaut, Mahua Moitra, Anil Antony, the tech-savvy leader and son of veteran politician A.K. Antony, Lokesh son of Chandrababu Naidu. Some of them would make lead actors run for their money.

We will run this as a series on politicians who have garnered considerable support through — among other things — their looks. They work hard to curate that appeal. Like actors, politicians too now find that good looks have become a professional requirement.