2019: An OTT push to the actors

Juhi Chakraborty

There is no denying the digital boom which is growing with each passing day. And with it, so are actors. This year again saw a number of successful web series being presented to the audiences and in the process, several actors re-emerged and tasted success like never before. The OTT platforms revived the careers of many actors, and also showed them in a new light.

Manoj Bajpayee, one of the most respected actors today having a repertoire of films such as Satya (1998), Shool (1999), Pinjar (2003), Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), and Aligarh (2016), decided to ride the digital wave this year with The Family Man and the result was beyond his expectation.

“I never realised that digital mediums have got such a huge penetration. Anywhere I go, there’s so much appreciation for The Family Man. Even in Australia, I met so many people who have watched the show. Then you have the 10-12 year olds coming to you for a They had gon somewhere or got lost but they have come back with web series and OTT entertainers. It is great, and there’s no doubt.”

Another actor, who gained prominence like never before thanks to her two web outings, was Sobhita Dhulipala. She had done three Bollywood films before this — Raman Raghav 2.0 (2016), Chef (2017) and Kaalakaandi (2018) — but exceptional praise came her way after Made In Heaven, and Bard of Blood.

“I didn’t understand what the digital medium was. But I am glad that it did well. When a good project does well, it will give 10 more such projects the window to happen. I was pleasantly surprised that people were so open to it (Made In Heaven). Ours is still a very judgmental society. So, it is a very big deal for me that so many people watched it,” she shares. Her co-star from the show, actor Arjun Mathur had starred in multiple films since 2009 but it wa only after his role as a gay wedding planner in the show, that he became the talk of the town.

Huma Qureshi also made her digital debut with the dystopian drama series Leila, which saw her in a new avatar. Soon after, the actor signed a Zack Snyder’s zombie drama Army Of the Dead.

Talking about why the web has been such a big opportunity for actors, Shefali Shah, star of Delhi Crime, says it is because of the reach. “When I went for the Asian Academy Creative Awards, actors and directors from other Asian countries and Australia immediately recognised me and appreciated me for my work. Now, with social media, you have a direct connect with the audience,” she adds.

Ritesh Sidhwani, the man behind web series such as Inside Edge, Mirzapur and Made in Heaven, says the reason why actors are gaining prominence for their digital projects is because the audience is spending a lot more time with their respective characters.

“They stay with the actors for all of 400 minutes. That’s a very long time. That’s giving people the opportunity to see actors in an all new light. That’s what makes the difference. I will not be surprised if Manoj goes to some remote country and people still recognise him,” adds Ritesh.