City Rajasthan OF THE RISE REGIONAL ACTORS!

The digital boom has been a blessing for many actors, directors, producers and technicians. But this boom also worked in the favour of a number of regional actors, who have now become quite popular in the Hindi web space. Jisshu U Sengupta, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Pratik Gandhi, and Swastika Mukherjee are some of the talents who have not only dazzled the audiences with their histrionics but also found acceptance pan-india in the OTT space. Gandhi’s Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story made him a household name, Chattopadhyay made a mark with films Bulbbul (2020), Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi and the recent web show, Black Widows, while Sengupta stood out in films — Shakuntala Devi (2020), Sadak 2 (2020), Durgamati (2020) and the recent web show, Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors. Aaditi Pohankar, who has worked in the Marathi and Tamil film industries also shined in web shows, She and Aashram. “Due to OTT, the difference between regional and national talent is becoming less. The web has opened up new opportunities, not just for roles but also reach across India and the world,” explains Chattopadhyay, adding that he considers himself an artiste who works in the Indian film industry. An established name in Bangla cinema, Sengupta did Hindi films occasionally until last year when he was seen in back-to-back projects and gained popularity in Bollywood. He believes the world is his stage and says, “I am an actor and open to good content. I have exciting films lined up in Hindi, Telugu and Bengali industries this year. Being part of Hindi entertainment has been amazing. I have come this far with hard work, faith and patience.” Mukherji’s tryst with Bollywood didn’t reap rewards till last year when she proved her mettle in web shows, Paatal Lok and Black Widows while also wowing people with her role in Dil Bechara (2020). “Last year was just amazing. I got a lot of appreciation. Working in Hindi projects means exposure to wider audiences and to the world,” she shares, adding she consciously chooses to not repeat herself on screen. Pohankar believes that these changes are happening because the audience is hungry for good content. “If you know the craft, the audience will accept you. I try to play characters that resonate with people and they remember my roles,” says the actor who has two films releasing this year.

Regional actors seem to be finding their sweet spot with national audiences, thanks to their nuanced roles in OTT projects. And they are welcoming this change with open arms

Kavita Awaasthi

Salman Khan has been exempted from making an appearance in the district and sessions court in the blackbuck poaching case due to the ongoing pandemic. The court asked the actor toappearbeforeiton February 6.

PHOTO: FOTOCORP PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/PARAMBRATACHATTOPADHYAY