Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; November 9, 2017)

Many Bollywood actors are jumping on the web series bandwagon. Irrfan Khan is doing a web series with AIB, while Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Saif Ali Khan have teamed up for Sacred Games. Rajkummar Rao will be seen in Bose: Dead/Alive. Akshaye Khanna is the latest actor, who’s keen to set foot in the digital space soon. Says a source, “Akshaye had been approached by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK who are planning a web series.” Akshaye confirms the news, “Yes, Raj had come to me with the series and I really loved the idea. I’m absolutely open to trying out the space. But there haven’t been any further discussions on that.” For the web series that is a political thriller with a dose of satirical humour, the makers are looking for an actor who is around 35 years of age. Currently, the script is being worked on.

It’s the future
Akshaye feels that actors should be open to the digital revolution. “This is the future. I will be comfortable doing a digital show. It will eventually dawn not only on actors, but also on the filmmakers and the audience that what is important is that the content should be viewed. On what platform you view it, has become totally inconsequential. Whether you are watching the content on the silver screen, or on TV, on the laptop or the phone, it doesn’t make a difference now.”

The divide lessens
He explains, “There was a huge distinction, till a few years ago between film actors and TV actors. Bollywood actors would feel proud about doing films and they would say, ‘I don’t do TV and all!’ Today, that distinction has gone. The maximum number of views are on cellphones. Everybody is watching content on their phones. Today, if I make a web series and if 10 million people watch it, then that’s important, not where they are watching it.”