‘OTT HAS ALLOWED FILMMAKERS TO TAKE CHANCES ON ME IN DARK THRILLERS’
Actor Sunil Grover talks about tasting success on the web with his recent OTT projects, and growing out of his comedic image
Theatre mein shayad iss tarah ki stories ko two hours mein dikhana possible nahin hai, but OTT woh liberty deta hai.
Actor Sunil Grover is basking in the success of season two of his show Sunflower, which sees him playing simpleton Sonu Singh who gets embroiled in a murder case.
“I love playing Sonu Singh, the way he leads his life, is a happy man — so I look forward to it,” says Grover, reflecting on the series’ intricate plot and quirky treatment. “Sunflower has so many twists and turns, and they have multiplied in season two. Murder hua hai, aur aap hass rahe ho. A mystery thriller with a bit of dark comedy is still a fresh genre. It has very unique storytelling,” says the 46- yearold, who recently reunited with comedian-actor Kapil Sharma on The Great Indian Kapil Show. The luxury of time that OTT affords makers is often talked about, and Grover concurs: “Theatre mein shayad iss tarah ki stories ko two hours mein dikhana possible nahin hai, but OTT woh liberty deta hai. The great thing is that you don’t have to cut a long story short. You are not worried about crunching it into two hours. You can tell the story the way you want to tell.”
Actors, too, have the chance to explore wider, “more detailed characters” with OTT projects, feels Grover, adding that the wider reach and audience bases that the medium offers, is what keeps him opting “for OTT projects from time to time”.
THE MOVE AWAY FROM COMEDY
The Jawan (2023) actor is grateful for filmmakers entrusting him with roles that veer away from his comedy background — an area long understood to be his forte. “I have such a strong comedy image but still filmmakers have taken chances on me in genres such as dark thrillers and they continue to do that. Main iss maamle mein khud ko kaafi lucky maanta hun,” he says.
Having said that, the actor — also seen in the web series Tandav (2021) and United Kacche (2023) — emphasises on the importance of nuanced storytelling. “Characters on OTT shows depend on the story and the director’s vision. It has to be more nuanced, detailed, and the writing has to keep the audience invested. Story kehne ki khaas samajh hone chahiye iss medium mein successful hone ke liye. It’s not easy to write for the longer format,” he says.