Karan Tacker to Aamir: Has OTT been an equaliser for actors switching mediums?

In the West, the platform system is such that actors keep migrating from one platform to the other, without any tags or labels. A celebrated and Oscar-winning actor Meryl Streep was seen in shows like Pretty Little Liars and Only Murders In The Building. However, in Indian showbiz, the tags of the medium you come from, takes precedence in a lot of cases.
Actor Gurmeet Choudhary made his OTT debut this year with Commander Karan Saxena and now has another show coming with Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein. Even actor Surbhi Chandna made her web debut this year with Rakshak – India’s Braves: Chapter 2, while Sanjeeda Shaikh appeared in Heeramandi. Shaheer Sheikh became the latest entrant to make his OTT film debut with Do Patti, With a growing acceptance of diverse roles across mediums, the industry is witnessing a surge of talent transitioning from TV to OTT platforms. We delve into the experiences of leading/most popular TV actors who have successfully navigated this shift.
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Karan, who has done shows like Khakee: The Bihar Chapter and Special Ops on OTT, feels the medium is a “great leveller or an equalizer for an artist that wants to perform, work on his craft and do work that is more immersive as an artist.” However, he adds, “The tag of a television actor is a perception that is more from the media and the fraternity than the platform itself. Both my OTT shows have been successful, but I’ve always been written as an actor from television doing something on OTT. That is a perception that the media and the fraternity needs to change more than anybody else and that truly will be an equalizer. Making it an equal battlefield is more of a responsibility for the media, then the platform.”
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Sumeet believes that the acceptance of amalgamation of mediums on OTT came from the audience’s need for change. “If the audience wants to watch something predictable, they can watch TV or films. Things are quite predictable there, but when they come to watch a show on OTT, they are coming with the expectation to see something fresh and unique. So, even with actors, they welcome change. If an actor has acted on TV before, but they are trying something new on OTT, they generally appreciate it. What OTT has done is that it has encouraged the audience to experiment with content, actors and performances,” he says.
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Kritika, who has worked in ensemble shows like Hush Hush with actor Juhi Chawla and Tandav with actor Saif Ali Khan, says that OTT actually gives you a chance to stand abreast with even the bigger stars and make your own space. “For someone who’s learned everything on the job, OTT gave me the opportunity to observe other cast members and their process and taught me to be a team player. Acting is reacting, and working with great actors elevates your own performance. I’ve got the chance to work alongside some very fine actors and directors by not being adamant on playing the solo lead. I just need my character to be well written and have a memorable journey of her own,” she says.
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Khan shares that while OTT is proving to be an equal platform, this change is still in a nascent stage. “When OTT started, there was this thing that let’s not cast any people from the TV. Then there came a different breed of actors known as OTT actors, and then there were more categories—film actors, OTT actors and TV actors. Now, things are changing and everyone’s working everywhere. There are big film stars who are doing OTT stuff and then there are television actors who are also doing OTT. This transition has started but it’s not there yet,” he insists.
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Ali clearly states that while things are improving, even on OTT, the tag of a ‘TV actor’ still works against an artiste. He shares, “OTT has been a relief for all the actors to explore what they can do, what they want to do and go in different directions and just do different kinds of roles. But the TV actor tag is still there, unfortunately, and it’s very difficult to get rid of. I’ve been away from TV for like six to seven years now, and still people remember me as a TV actor. But eventually you just need that one big maker to trust in you and give you that kind of role that clicks for you, so that people look at you differently. However, the tag still stays.”