Be it Mentalhood, Hostages or recently released Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors, actor Shilpa Shukla took up strong characters in all these projects from last year. What’s more pleasing, she says, is the audience’s response that they want to see more of her on screen. The actor is determined to not disappoint her fans and is hoping for a “meaningful 2021”.

Shukla tells us, “The reach and acceptance of the audience has suddenly increased. I’m happy that people liked my work in all these projects. Thanks to web, the thing that we’ve been talking about for years, that ‘time is going to change’, it’s happening now. All the actors who’ve worked on their craft for years are finally getting what they deserve.”

The Chak De! India (2007) actor opines that cinema has limited scope in terms of how many characters can be highlighted, and also notes how smaller films that would get lesser screens in theatres have now got a new lease of life on the web. “To me, OTT is a mix of theatre and cinema. The grammar is new; we’re beginning to learn, and hopefully in the next couple of years, it’s going to do much more,” she states.

Another thing that Shukla, 38, is glad about is how digital platforms are writing substantial roles for women. “It’s not like, either you’re a heroine or a vamp. Now female characters are layered, have shades of reality... All those women who were waiting in the wings are now getting opportunities,” she says. Referring to the notion that female actors have a shelf life, lasting only till they are 30-35, she emphasises that OTT has changed this perspective too. “You can shine at any age. That way, web is relaxed and encouraging and the market is fairer now,” she adds.

It’s worth noting that Shukla, who debuted in 2003, hasn’t taken up too many projects in her career. In 2015, she even took a break for three years as she was getting repetitive roles. Now, she says “the offers are better in terms of characters, stories, directors, banners”, and shares, “I’m not someone who gets bothered about the length of my role or being part of an ensemble cast. I’ve done smaller roles just to share screen space with a particular actor.”