The OTT platforms have not only given a break to new or less appreciated talents, but are also helpful in bringing a diverse range of projects to the screen. This includes content from the Northeast. Often these small budget films get lost in the crowded Hindi mainstream market. But now thanks to the digital medium, they are able to reach a much wider audience. Aamis, Axone, Bornodi Bhotiai, Village Rockstars and Raag are some such films that are now available on OTT, and have been able to strike a chord with viewers.

Actor Sayani Gupta, who starred in Axone which follows Northeast Indian migrants in Delhi, in their attempt to organise a wedding party, says, “It was the first film that ever came out in the mainstream that represents characters from the Northeast, and is authentic. There is a lot of interest coming from content makers and filmmakers about the Northeast and the people.”

Noting how there is a growing appetite for such stories, Siddharth Anand Kumar, vice president - Films & Events, Saregama India Ltd — who made Axone — says it’s heartening to see people being receptive towards these stories. “I think the interest will only grow from here, after India’s shining jewels Saikhom Mirabai Chanu and Lovlina Borgohain, who hail from Manipur and Assam respectively, returned home with Olympic medals. The region is brimming with talent and stories. And I hope they get support from the industry, and bring inclusivity and an end to stereotypes,” Kumar shares.

Manipuri actor Lin Laishram, who was a part of Axone, is glad that actors from the Northeast were cast in it. And while she agrees that OTT is helping with representation, she believes there’s still a long road ahead. “We need more of our stories to be told in the mainstream. We’re on the right path but there is a long way to go,” she says.

Not just films, now even web series set and shot in the Northeast, with actors from the region are making its way to our screens — for instance, The Last Hour. “It features a lot of actors from there, the locations are breathtaking. So it has an authentic feel to it. That’s what stood out,” shares actor Raima Sen, who starred in the supernatural crime thriller.

While this is a step in the right direction, many believe that Bollywood, despite being one of the biggest film industries in the world, has failed to adequately represent the region and its people, often resorting to cliches and stereotypes in the story.

To this, Kumar says, “Our vision has always been to make films with an underlying message, a potential to spark conversation and change mind sets. Axone was just the perfect platform to highlight the umpteen misconceptions and racism that people from the Northeast face in daily lives.”

Agreeing to this, actor Adil Hussain, who hails from Assam, says that while the growing lot of stories from the region are helpful, he feels it is a drop in the ocean. He elaborates, “I think what they are doing is fantastic, but the OTT giants should look for such stories rather than have people approach them... A lot of projects made there still don’t find their way in the mainstream.”