Ishwak feels stars are not going anywhere despite OTT

ISHWAK SINGH,

As OTT provides opportunities to newer talent and fresh faces, the conversation on whether the definition of stardom is changing, has gained ground. Sharing his perspective, actor Ishwak Singh says that Bollywood stars are not going anywhere, despite the shift in the entertainment landscape. “I would think that (the definition of stardom) would only change if the stars are no more stars. But they still are. They are my stars too. Irrespective of whether a few of their films do not work, they will remain stars,” he tells us.

Further elaborating on the impact of OTT as a mode of entertainment, Singh says there are only better days ahead, “The digital platform has become predominant now. There are conversations happening about where we are headed in the entertainment business, with all these mediums working together. It can only get better from here on.”

Singh, himself, has pivoted to the web space after starting his acting career with films like Raanjhanaa (2013), Tamasha (2015), and Veere Di Wedding (2018), among others. “I never saw it as any different. The main thing remains, I pick up the script, open the first page and read up until the last. If I find it engaging, I take it up. It doesn’t matter whether it is a play, a theatrical film or a web project,” he says.

That said, the actor, who has starred in web series such as Paatal Lok, Unpaused and Rocket Boys, does find the platform more liberating. “I cannot deny the advantages of OTT. It has changed lives. Creatively, as an actor, doing a series is like doing three films. There is so much more you can explore creatively. There is a lot more work, detailing and effort. It is an amazing medium for someone who is hungry to prove themselves and do something meaty,” he ends.

Irrespective of whether a few of their films do not work, they will remain stars.

PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/ISHWAKSINGH Actor