The development of OTT as a mainstream entertainment service has given new life to a certain section of actors. These individuals are absolutely brilliant with their talent but lacked the star power and fanbase required to run a film successfully in theaters. Actors like Ali Fazal, Manoj Bajpayee, and even Arshad Warsi became famous household names after the success of their shows.
Another section of actors, superstars of their era, who did not gain the respect they deserved in movies, found that recognition in OTT. Actors like Saif Ali Khan and Shahid Kapoor blew up with their TV series. This mutually benefited both sides, as big names coming to OTT created self-promotion for those shows that went on to become superhits.
However, things are not that simple. After the success of shows like “Farzi,” which gained tremendous success due to its star cast, OTT makers also fell into the trap of bringing in stars to boost their shows’ popularity. This led to big names invading OTT, which was originally intended as a platform for actors who couldn’t draw audiences to theaters on their own.
Konkona Sen Sharma, a critically acclaimed actor-director highly praised for her role in the Netflix anthology “Lust Stories 2,” also believes that as stars invade OTT, its makers are tilting towards them. This trend could ultimately lead to a survival competition for small yet talented actors.
