Amid ongoing discussions about how access to global content on streaming platforms has shifted audience preferences and impacted theatre footfalls, actor Divyendu, who was last seen in the web show Life Hill Gayi, states that OTT has “satiated” his hunger as an artiste.
The actor, who has also featured in web shows Mirzapur, Salt City and The Railway Men, says, “I was getting work left right and centre in theatrical films and I was content that way. But when OTT came, it became food for my soul. It was something that satiated my hunger as an artiste. OTT unleashed a different kind of energy within me.”
Stating that OTT opened the doors for him, the actor adds, “I wanted to do different characters and explore different sides of my characters and show what I can do (when given an opportunity). OTT gave me that platform to showcase my talent.”
Would his acting journey have been more challenging if OTT projects hadn’t come his way?
The actor says for him the kind of work he does matters more than the medium. “It doesn’t matter how ‘successful’ you are in films and everything. What gives me happiness is the kind of work I want to do, the people I want to collaborate with and whether I want to do a project or not,” says the 41-year-old. He further says, “Films at times can make one feel boxed. There are lost of do’s and don’ts. But, OTT has a lot of advantages. Otherwise, a boy like me, happy go lucky guy, nobody could imagine me playing a Munna,” shares the actor.
Divyendu says OTT has given actors a level playing field. “On OTT, one isn’t doing things according to the box office and people aren’t judging you according to the box office numbers or first weekend collections,” he says, adding, “OTT has made the whole game merit-based. It is a level playing field now is because your competition is not just restricted to the talent in your country, the competition is now even with a Game of Thrones, so to say.”
He further says, “Now, we consume a lot of international content. So, when those people appreciate a project like Mirzapur or The Railway Men, that says a lot about you as an artistes and us a film industry.”
“OTT is a necessity. We need it for cinema to grow in this country and I think it has grown a lot. It has shown us—artistes, directors, aspiring talent, that art doesn’t need to be confined to numbers,” he wraps up.
