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‘OTT has given me the satisfaction I was craving for’
Prayagraj-lad Sagar Wahi of ‘Nimki Mukhia’ fame says he is enjoying the challenges OTT is offering to actors. “As an actor that’s what you crave for — challenge to do something what you are not. Coming from theatre background, the webspace is challenging me more as an actor which was missed on TV,” said the actor as he shoots for series ‘Taav’ in Unnao-Kanpur.
The actor further explains, “For ‘Madhuri Talkies’ I reduced 15 kgs. It was shot in Varanasi, which is close to my home town, but has totally different lingo. ‘Taav’, directed by Sanjay Shastri, has a very unique Kanpuria language which I have never spoken before. Then the anger and ‘tashan’, as a title suggests, is very different from real Sagar, so it’s very interesting to get into a character which is beyond your personality.”
He agrees that TV has given him a lot of recognition, but OTT has taken it to another level.
“After highly-rated show ‘Nimki…’ people started recognising me but since ‘Madhuri…’, which has crossed 85 million views, the love I am getting is beyond my imagination. Even after one year of its release people here are coming to greet me and I keep getting fan messages on social media from all over.”
Talking about his journey he said, “I started with theatre and Ram
Leela in Allahabad. Then, I did my graduation from Lucknow and got the DD Urdu serial ‘Shab Gazida’ which had stalwarts from the state capital. Thereafter, I did theatre and street plays at Shree Ram Centre in Delhi before shifting to Mumbai where I did lot of plays with Salim sir (Arif, a Lucknowite).”
He did nearly two dozen advertisements and his TV journey started with youth-based show ‘Ishq Unplugged’ which was followed by ‘Nimki..’ where he played negative lead. “Having done TV, I feel males actor have less scope to perform but OTT has given my satisfaction that I was craving for. I hope makers keep making good content else audience is very quick to reject,” said the actor.