By Reya Mehrotra
There’s a scene in the 2004 film Run exactly where actor Vijay Raaz eats ‘biryani’ for just `5. Later, when he inquires about the contents of the mentioned biryani, a young actor reveals that it had crow meat. That actor was Pankaj Tripathi. The film could possibly have flopped at the box workplace, but Raaz’s comic timing and this scene have made it live by way of the years. In reality, numerous keep in mind the film till date only due to the fact of this one scene. Cut to 14 years later, the duo would return on screen collectively for Stree (2018). However, this time, not in modest roles, but as the heart and soul of the film, in particular Pankaj Tripathi. Playing the part of librarian Rudra Bhaiya, the actor delivered a nuanced efficiency, which rapidly became one of the highlights. Over the years, in reality, Tripathi has delivered numerous noteworthy performances, be it as Kaleen Bhaiya in Mirzapur or in films like Gunjan Saxena, Newton, Gangs of Wasseypur, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Masaan, amongst other folks.
Tripathi’s rise is indicative of a significant modify that is taking spot in the Indian entertainment business. With new-age platforms and scripts, the stereotypical image of the ‘hero’ and ‘heroine’ is altering, and the thrust now is on fresh storytelling. This, in turn, is empowering unconventional actors like Tripathi, assisting them get a foothold in mainstream content. Today, one would happily watch a film just due to the fact it stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pankaj Tripathi, Sayani Gupta, Rasika Dugal, Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar and Ayushmann Khurrana — none of whom possess the qualities of the quintessential Bollywood hero or heroine (abs, toned bodies, gorgeous faces), but are actors that embody an ordinary man or lady. The path, nonetheless, was paved by actors like Irrfan Khan who has left behind a legacy with stellar performances in films like Piku, Life of Pi, The Namesake, The Lunchbox, and so forth.
Today, the majority of content delves on unlearning the ideas that cinema has engrained in our minds for decades. Doors have also been opened for actual conversations about sexuality, dark humour, marital rape, abuse, independence of girls — all of which remained largely behind the curtains in the hero-saves-the-heroine story era.
This significant breakthrough, think the new actors and content creators, has been motivated by the digital shift. It is thanks to the newer platforms that creators from all components of the nation have emerged to inform a unique story, assisting actors of all hues get a platform.
The switch has also been made feasible by the altering tastes of the audiences. Perhaps it was the lengthy reign of the bigger-than-life superstars, the angry young males and the ‘saviours’ — ranging from Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna to Sunny Deol, Sanjay Dutt, Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir Khan — that made the audience crave some thing ordinary, closer to regular life. Or possibly it was the unattainable beauty requirements and damsel-in-distress image set by the likes of Meena Kumari, Madhubala and later the chiffon-wrapped female actors of the Yash Chopra era that made the audience crave imperfection. Whatever the explanation could possibly be, the audience today has made its option really clear.
However, it was not usually that the males in the films have been macho and the girls delicate. There have been occasional masterpieces that broke stereotypes. Shabana Azmi’s Arth (1982) showed the way for sturdy independent girls, Satyajit Ray’s Mahanagar (1963) was about a housewife who unsettles her traditionalist family by obtaining a job and Tabu’s Astitva (2000) dealt with male chauvinism. Then, of course, actors like Deepti Naval, Om Puri and Farooq Shaikh are preferred till today for their numerous roles in films that dealt with the trials and tribulations of the typical man.
Shedding his image
It is not just the influx of ordinary-searching actors with terrific possible that has made the quintessential male hero shed his image, but also the will to experiment and the thirst for newer content. Undeniably, films like Simmba, Dabangg, War and Baahubali continue to preserve the image of the macho hero, however actors have come out of their security shells to portray new characters. Salman Khan, for instance, played the ‘odd’ youngster Laxman Singh Bisht in Tubelight, Akshay Kumar stepped down from his action hero image to inform the story of Pad Man (social activist Arunachalam Muruganantham) and Hrithik Roshan’s Super 30 opened to rave reviews. Even Shah Rukh Khan, identified as the ‘king of romance’, shed his romantic image to give uncommon but critically-acclaimed performances in films like My Name is Khan, Swades, Chak De India and Dear Zindagi.
Unconventional actors like Rajpal Yadav, as well, have been cast as heroes in films like Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh. However, in the film, Yadav plays a man who feels inferior due to the fact of how he appears. And that is exactly where the distinction lies today. An unconventional actor playing the lead part today need to have no longer really feel inferior in any way. One does not need to have a fantastic-searching actor with a muscular body any more, but a person like Divyenndu, who has confirmed that he has the possible to hook the audience when it comes to romance (in Mirzapur’s second season, the actor — who plays Munna Tripathi, a goon with numerous shades — is seen romancing Isha Talwar).
Then, of course, there is Rajkummar Rao. The reality that Rao as a modestly-dressed hero with a modest-town vibe, bleached hair and tight pants — far from the image of a Bollywood hero — in Roohi (2021) could win accolades for his efficiency reveals how the audience today loves efficiency more than appears. Another such actor is Nawazuddin Siddiqui. One would possibly miss him getting beaten up by a cop in Aamir Khan’s Sarfarosh (1999), but today he carries a film on his shoulders. Manoj Bajpayee, as well, got lead roles (Satya, Zubeidaa and Pinjar) seldom, but has reinvented himself with the internet series The Family Man, garnering a new fan following. Bollywood’s mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan, as well, has taken to breaking stereotypes by way of films like Piku, Gulabo Sitabo and 102 Not Out, difficult his personal yesteryear image of an angry young man.
Recently, actor Adarsh Gourav rose to international fame following he was nominated for his part in The White Tiger at the 2021 BAFTA Awards. The young unconventional actor played the lead in the film, which starred two established actors — Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Rajkummar Rao. “The age of superstars has gone and the internet has democratised everything,” says actor Rajesh Tailang.
Finding her voice
From getting sexualised onscreen to speaking about their sexuality, the modify in how girls are portrayed today is getting felt and talked about. However, there is nevertheless a lengthy way to go, as sturdy roles are couple of and far among. But it would be unfair to say that female actors are not getting recognised. Actor Sobhita Dhulipala plays an ambitious lady who tricks her wealthy husband into marrying her, however one sympathises with her in Made in Heaven. Shweta Tripathi, Rasika Dugal and Shriya Pilgaonkar have been as a lot an essential element of Mirzapur as the other members of the ensemble cast. There are stories like Bulbbul, Bombay Begums, Aarya that show girls in a sturdy light.
The a lot required break from chauvinism and misogyny has also been the outcome of emerging girls filmmakers and conversations about equality selecting up. Actor Maanvi Gagroo says that OTT platforms in particular have helped new female actors get a fair opportunity. “At least I have not heard or been through anything of this sort (where a female actor was asked to compromise) after the #MeToo era and the rise of OTT platforms. Now, I think women feel more empowered. Getting into any industry for women is hard because there are other factors at play too. The industry is also made of people who come from the same society. So there are good and bad people,” she says, adding that she is searching forward to playing a sportsperson or dancer sometime quickly.
OTTs could have opened up new doors for female actors, but numerous rue that the majority of content nevertheless revolves about male leads. Actor Aahana Kumra, who has acted in Betaal and Lipstick Under My Burkha, argues that a series like Paatal Lok could have been written with a female cop. “Women are still going to take longer than men to reach there because roles are written a lot more for men than women,” she says.
Even with the content getting written for girls, subjects have a tendency to variety from sexuality, domestic violence, and so forth (Bombay Begums, Lust Stories, Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare). While these subjects are getting discussed for the initial time onscreen as girls have lastly located their voice, Kumra feels it is time we move on from the female sexuality genre and discover more roles for girls in other diverse genre. “The way people reacted to Lipstick Under My Burkha was mad. For some people, these subjects are very absurd because they don’t understand why women are talking about sexuality. It’s an uncomfortable subject for them. It’s true that a lot of content on women is about sexuality, but it’s an important part of history. Women have been looked upon as a commodity, there’s so much misogyny. So when this becomes a normal part of our content, people will register it. But I do feel we have to go beyond this now. I might some day write stories for women myself,” she says.
The actor not too long ago shared a couple of photographs on Instagram dressed up as Indian cricketer Jhulan Goswami. However, she was criticised for darkening her skin tone. Talking about it, she says, “I know Jhulan personally and did it to show respect to her. She loved the pictures. It was not meant to offend anyone. I am not even doing a film on her. My only effort through the photo was that women actors are ready to transform themselves. I have done prosthetics for Betaal, why didn’t anybody get upset about that? I am here to play a character and want to say that we women actors are ready to play transformative characters. We are ready to go the distance… are you ready to write for us?”
The OTT chance
While it could be correct that OTT platforms have a lengthy way to go when it comes to sturdy, female-centric content, one cannot deny the reality that the medium has been instrumental in creating numerous careers. Ever due to the fact digital content began booming, there have been numerous possibilities for absolutely everyone. And this is some thing that Kumra agrees with. “In cinema, the last name, how you network comes a lot into play, but on OTT, they would hire me for my performance. Here, the producers call the shots. It’s a very collaborative space. We get the freedom to experiment,” she shares.
Actors also say that every character is nicely defined and the stories are nicely written due to the fact of the benefit of time that OTT provides. “Because of the length of stories on OTT platforms, writers and directors have more opportunity to portray the storyline and characters in a much more elaborate way… that liberty comes to actors also,” says Kumra, adding, “It’s good that now we have cinema, TV, OTT platforms coexisting, as there will be ample work for everybody. OTT has its own global reach, so that means any content will be viewed globally. That means healthy competition because one can see work from outside and compare one’s own work. It makes our vision better and provides space for experimentation.”
Tailang, who was element of the OTT shows Mirzapur and Delhi Crime, agrees: “One can watch a film from France or Europe or anywhere in the world… anyone can compare your art with the best in the world, so we have to compete with the whole world now. It was an island situation earlier where Indian content stayed in India, but now, it is available to a global audience. So naturally, there is comparison as one is exposed to good-quality cinema,” says Tailang, who was seen in his initial comic part in the Netflix film Pagglait.
Even the audience today is curious about OTT content, he says. “In films that range from 1.5 to 2.5 hours, only the protagonist’s story is told. The content on OTT can be 8-10 hours long, divided into episodes where one can delve into each and every character’s life, plots and subplots. Even the audience is curious to know each and every character,” he says, adding, “Not just actors, OTT has given a platform to everyone, be it writers, directors, cameramen… every department… and this was motivated by the internet revolution.”
Gagroo, who has a lengthy list of body-positive roles to her credit, says that thanks to the digital medium, a ‘variety’ of unique actors, be it in terms of height, body weight or colour, are emerging and beauty requirements are getting challenged. “When it began, the commercial model of OTT was such that you didn’t need any of that… just the show to do well. Now, so many different kinds of stories and formats are being experimented with… the industry has opened up for writers, actors, directors, everyone,” she says.
Bollywood prefers established actors and significant names as one has to recover revenue, but that is not the case with OTT, Gagroo says. “Before OTT, we were exposed to a global thought process through the internet. There was a lot of mixing of thoughts, conversations happening. Then OTT came and inclusive content was welcomed… I think it’s a good thing that we are talking about never-talked-about things. We need to have a variety of stories because that’s what art and cinema are all about,” she says.
Enriching to have rainbow of feelings in a character: Jaideep Ahlawat
Actor Jaideep Ahlawat has got his due each in films and OTT. He has worked in Paatal Lok, which opened to rave reviews, and his efficiency was appreciated in films and shows like Raazi, Bard of Blood, Karan Johar’s Ajeeb Dastaans, to name a couple of. “In terms of recognition, I think Gangs of Wasseypur, Commando, Vishwaroopam, Raazi and recently Paatal Lok proved to be the turning points. It’s a good feeling when your work reaches out to people and they appreciate it,” says Ahlawat, adding that he desires to experiment with all sorts of work.
“An actor doesn’t want to bind himself in the limitations of any genre. Hathi Ram Chaudhary (from Paatal Lok) is one character where you can find all emotions from the story and, for an actor, it is enriching when there’s a rainbow of emotions in a character. I would love to try romance, comedy and action, too, in the near future.”
Ahlawat has a lengthy list of dream roles to play. “I have so much on my plate to offer as an actor and I hope I get good stories and roles… Sometimes you don’t plan things, they just happen.”
I take into consideration my character as the hero of his life: Rajesh Tailang
The year 2020 was an eventful one for Rajesh Tailang. His show Delhi Crime won an Emmy and his efficiency in Mirzapur’s second season was appreciated. The actor, who made his debut with the 1989 Doordarshan serial Dhai Akshar, has played a multitude of characters. “Whenever I play any character, whether the screen time is long or short, I always consider my character as the hero of his life… like every person is the hero of his own life,” shares Tailang, who was also noticed for playing a 65-year-old man at just 26 years of age in Hazaar Chaurasi ki Maa (1998).
Over the last couple of years, cinema has transformed and just about every character getting written today is nicely defined and justified even if for a one-scene part, says the actor. “A character is no longer just a device to carry forward the story, but has a journey of his/her own with a beginning, middle and end… and not just echoing the hero’s or heroine’s emotions. The credit goes to the scripts being written,” says Tailang, adding that he has faced a lot of ups and downs professionally. “I see myself as an artist trying to better his art,” he says.
There is a need to have for educated men and women in the Indian film business: Aahana Kumra
Like any other profession, there’s a need to have for educated men and women in the film business, says actor Aahana Kumra, adding that for a lengthy time, men and women didn’t recognize what getting in a film college meant. “Today, the industry is full of people from FTII and other film schools. I see so many of my juniors and classmates doing well in different sections of filmmaking. There is now a need for a well-read technician who can also be an actor. Actors like Rajkummar Rao are from film schools, so I don’t see why there should not be an education in this business,” she says.
Talking about her journey till now, Kumra says her becoming an actor was an organic course of action. “I was always involved with Prithvi Theatre. From selling tickets, working backstage, festival planning to programming, I was deeply involved. I saw a creative process unfold in front of me every day. When I graduated, my mother asked me if I wanted to do this full time… and that I would need to get trained, so I did.”
But she didn’t get work. The actor got rejected in at least 200 auditions for tv soaps. “There was only films and television, nothing in between. Today, if you are a content creator, you will get a job,” she says.
Kumra then chanced upon the show Agent Raghav whose director she knew. “There was a time when I used to dress up every day and go to auditions, but didn’t get any TV serial… except Agent Raghav because someone walked out. Once Lipstick Under My Burkha (2016) released, people started recognising me and my work,” says Kumra, adding that she has by no means mentioned no to work. “People who come from non-filmy backgrounds have to grab everything that comes their way.”
Demand for physically actual-searching actors today: Maanvi Gagroo
Think of actor Maanvi Gagroo and her body-positive performances come to mind—Four More Shots Please!, Ujda Chaman, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan. But ahead of she tasted achievement, the actor went by way of her share of disappointments. The casting directors would
inform her that she neither match into the quintessential size-zero ‘heroine’ part nor that of a ‘fat’ girl. “That’s when more realistic characters started getting written for OTT platforms. There was a demand for physically realistic-looking characters,” says the actor.
For Gagroo, issues began searching up when she landed work for The Viral Fever (TVF) in 2015-16. “They were starting their first series—Permanent Roommates and then Pitchers simultaneously. So they asked me to come in for a test. I got it, Pitchers came out and garnered a lot of popularity… people loved my character,” says Gagroo, adding that she by no means planned to develop into an actor and, in reality, wanted to be a clinical psychologist and so pursued a degree in psychology. Her parents, she says, didn’t know a lot about her profession as no one in her family belongs to the business, but they supported her. “With all that you read in the tabloids, someone not familiar with the industry may have a dubious image of it. But they wanted me to try it out,” says the actor.
‘The audience is looking at different things now’: Jitendra Kumar, actor
Actor Jitendra Kumar is a solution of the digital content boom. He was a element of the course of action when the digital shift was taking place and made a mark with only a couple of performances in films and shows like Panchayat, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, TVF Pitchers, Kota Factory, and so forth. The IITian, who finds inspiration from Dilip Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Robert De Niro and contemporaries like Pankaj Tripathi and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, speaks with Reya Mehrotra about creating it significant in the city of dreams. Edited excerpts:
You came to Mumbai from Alwar with no connections and an IIT-Kharagpur background. How did you locate your calling?
When you are new to the city and do not know any person, it is tough. But when I began, digital content on YouTube was about to boom. I had made some good friends at The Viral Fever (TVF) and we began working on TVF Pitchers and it got preferred. There was some struggle, but there was usually work. We had planned to make lengthy-format series for the digital medium. There was a belief that there is an audience right here and even films can be made on digital platforms. But we had to convince producers about this shift and its possible. I was not just an actor, but a element of the course of action of this shift to the digital medium. This way, we sorted a lot of issues for newcomers.
So you can be known as one of the flagbearers of the digital shift…
Yes, you can say that. When TVF had initial began digital sketches, I was a element of it. It feels fantastic to hear when men and women say they have been following me due to the fact then. We began when smartphones have been nevertheless new, so in a way, it coincided with the digital content boom and that worked out. The shift has usually occurred from one medium to the other — from cinema to tv and now internet content.
Do you assume OTT has revolutionised the way content is getting created?
Films are costly, so there is small experimentation there. Someone does some thing and absolutely everyone follows the pattern for 3-4 years. But OTT has a lot of scope for experimentation. So it has brought a revolution in that sense. Experiments are taking place now, but I really feel a couple of years down the lane, the sort of content getting created on OTT platforms, as well, will adhere to trends like cinema.
Do you assume the age of superstars has ended and unconventional actors have taken centrestage today?
The audience tends to make stars, but now, the audience is searching at unique issues. New actors are usually followed and sooner or later develop into stars. I really feel that even if not now, but this will occur with fantastic actors on OTT, as well, following some time. Currently, new creators are nevertheless emerging.
What sort of genres had you wanted to be a element of even though beginning out and what sort of work are you searching forward to now?
After Pitchers, issues have been terrific and I have been undertaking the sort of content I wanted to, but I got my personal audience only following Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, as cinema has a large family audience. My series Panchayat was released following the film and for the duration of the lockdown, it got fantastic viewership. Creators began recognising me more. But I am greedy for fantastic work and do not really feel I have provided my greatest however.
How have you evolved as an actor? You by no means attended film college or had any connections in the business. How did you discover on the job?
Each story is a new course of action as conditions off and on camera are unique. In my practical experience of seven-eight years, I have realised that a lot of rehearsals, readings and listening to what the director is saying are crucial to a fantastic efficiency. A character could show anger, but that would make you laugh, or in a different predicament, his anger would intimidate you—you discover to express one emotion in unique techniques when you listen to the director and with practical experience. Everyone feels these feelings, but an actor has to recreate them on camera. Initially, I didn’t know a lot of issues. There have been limitations in my initial performances that I really feel I have overcome now.
Do you assume it is less difficult for new actors to establish themselves with numerous sources of content creation today?
In the digital age, we have numerous platforms like YouTube, Instagram to show one’s talent. If one does not locate an chance, one can build it independently for one-two years and have alternate profession alternatives as well. There is gear like mics, camera offered at inexpensive prices now… bas mehnat karni hai (you only have to work difficult). If the audience likes you, you get noticed and there are reality checks, as well, to strengthen oneself.
‘More women behind camera leading to change in way stories being told’: Swara Bhaskar, actor
Her portrayal as UP girl Payal in Tanu Weds Manu was as effortless as her efficiency in the critically-acclaimed Anarkali of Aarah. She didn’t say no to playing a sexually active lady in Rasbhari nor did she shy away from undertaking a female masturbation scene in Veere Di Wedding. In an interview, Swara Bhaskar tells Reya Mehrotra why just about every part is that of a protagonist’s for an actor and how the business has evolved. Edited excerpts:
How do you define your journey as an actor — from Tanu Weds Manu to Anarkali of Aarah or Rasbhari?
I do not see the transition from playing character components to sturdy female-oriented components as something but a sign that one has develop into more prosperous in an business that is constructed about stardom. A fantastic competent actor acts and the efforts do not differ according to the size of the part. In reality, some of the finest actors that our nation has had like Johnny Walker, Pran saab or Amrish saab constructed careers from playing character roles. Every actor thinks of himself/herself as the protagonist. I have been really fortunate as an outsider to get a break and really feel really specific that even my supporting roles are remembered and loved. The really like I got for these roles made it feasible for men and women to see the trailers of Nil Battey Sannata and Anarkali of Aarah.
How do you assume the content is evolving for girls?
I assume each Indian screenwriters and the audience got more exposed to worldwide content as the content market place opened up. When a couple of films became hits, men and women got the self-assurance to be capable to inform stories and market place them proper. A lot of girls got behind the camera — be it Zoya Akhtar, Gauri Shinde, Ashwini Iyer, Juhi Chaturvedi, Alankrita Shrivastava, Nitya Mehra or Reema Kagti. More girls behind the camera and in unique departments also led to a modify in the way stories are getting told.
There have been accusations of energy play and exploitation of newcomers, in particular girls, in the business. Were you sceptical when beginning out?
It’s really difficult for an outsider. It is not not possible, but landing a break, negotiating a new city, an unfamiliar business is really difficult. What gave me self-assurance was my education. I come from an academic family. My parents mentioned that you can do what ever you want, but initial finish your education. So I completed my bachelor’s in literature from Miranda House and my post-graduation in sociology from JNU. So I was confident and articulate due to the fact of my education and that saved me. I was capable to see a lot of energy dynamics in the business that possibly other men and women would be intimidated by, but I was not due to the fact I understood it as a sociologist and then I was capable to deal with it in a more clinical manner. And that actually has helped me stay steady and sane in the business. Otherwise, it is a spot that does take a toll on you.
Do you assume OTT has a large contribution in bringing subjects onscreen that have been by no means talked about and providing new talent a fair opportunity?
I assume this is a terrific time to be an actor. I am blessed to have began work at a time exactly where I have a balance of each films and OTT, industrial and critically-acclaimed work, supporting roles and major roles. In that sense, I really feel that I have currently had a bird’s-eye view of the business in this decade. The audiences are so conscious of the performances that they will not tolerate a negative efficiency, and that is a terrific time to be a fantastic competent actor in the business.