Amid OTT-theatre debate, web world's early bird Ali Fazal urges stars to overcome small screen mental block
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 19, 2020)

Thanks to Coronavirus lockdown, OTT platforms made significant headway over the past seven weeks as the country turned to them for its daily dose of entertainment. With many Bollywood films now seeking direct-to-web release, the streaming giants are poised to give the theatres a run for their money.

Even as the big screen-versus-OTT debate intensifies, Ali Fazal, who was among the first Bollywood actors to take the leap to the web, believes being platform-agnostic is the way ahead for artistes. "Actors should never be bound by language, genre or the format of storytelling. Given the content landscape of today, it is necessary to be open to try new things. [In the post-pandemic world], shooting structures will undergo a drastic change [due to on-set restrictions]," says Fazal.

While some viewed digital entertainment as a step-down from the silver screen, in its initial stages, he is glad to be one of the early birds with Mirzapur. "When I was approached for the series in 2015, I wasn't sure about its potential. I [gave my nod] because I loved the content. I am glad I was able to overcome the mental block and focus on the content's merit."