It is often said that 80% of a project is accomplished if the casting is done right. And going by the spate of successful projects on OTT platforms, there seems to be some truth to this. After all, fresh casting and powerful performances are some of the reasons web projects are much loved by the audiences. Actors, too, have gushed endlessly about the opportunities the digital medium offers to them to experiment and showcase the full scope of their talent.

“With OTT, we have realised the potential of so many actors. In case of theatricals, it was a given that certain actors would work and others wouldn’t. But that is not the case on the web,” says casting director Shivam Gupta. Citing the example of actor Jatin Goswami (below) who played the role of Vicky Rai in The Great Indian Murder, he says, “Goswami is a film institute pass-out and did good work earlier, but he isn’t well-known. With this one show, woh sabki nazar mein aa gaya.”

Explaining the importance of right casting for even the smaller roles, he adds, “Every episode on web shows needs to engage the audience. So, every scene — big or small — and every actor is important. Today, actors who have a few scenes can become OTT stars.”

With changing times, casting directors and stories have certainly become more experimental, says casting director Mukesh Chabbra. “I have to keep surprising everyone with new faces and power-packed performers,” he adds, pointing out how shows like Delhi Crime, Scam 1992, The Family Man, Tabbar and Human have been appreciated for their casting.

Casting director duo Shiv Chauhan and Ashish Khare agree that the casting process has become “nuanced”. They say, “Earlier, there were only few leading characters and the rest were supporting cast. Now, on OTT, each character can have various shades.”

Meanwhile, casting director and actor Abhishek Banerjee is happy that this change in casting choices is bringing talents from across India to the fore. He gives the example of Mairembam Ronaldo, who had never faced the camera or left Manipur before playing the role of Cheeni in Paatal Lok.

“Time commitment for a web show has also made it possible to cast lesser known actors for major roles as most stars might not have enough time. Mirzapur is one the biggest example of how actors who were not making much headway in Bollywood became overnight stars on web. Casting doesn’t need to be dependent on stars,” he adds.

However, effective casting has its challenges. Gupta explains, “A web show with 10 episodes means casting about 150 characters, which takes three to five months. For Sacred Games 2, it took the team a year to get everyone. Casting is a gamble as you might feel an actor is lead worthy but the producer might not agree. So, you have to back your candidate.”

Agreeing, Banerjee says, “I have seen so many successful actors, including Divyenndu, Jaideep Ahlawat, Shreya Dhanwanthary and Shweta Tripathi Sharma being rejected by directors as the makers weren’t convinced... However, things are changing as, today, makers trust casting directors more than before.”