Aditya Srivastava is currently basking in the success of his latest, the web movie Bhakshak. Reacting to the feedback, the actor, known for the longest time as CID’s Abhijeet, says, “It was an important story to tell. Whoever watched it, got the message right. I tried my best to be true to the character, and I am glad about the appreciation my performance has come in for.”

Acknowledging the power of OTT as a medium, Srivastava, who has featured in digital projects such as Raat Akeli Hai (2020) and Haseen Dillruba (2021) earlier, says, “I was mostly involved in CID, plus television ka demand alag hota hai toh main usmein fass gaya tha. But the way OTT is promoting new narratives and approaches in terms of subject, performance, storytelling and the like, is encouraging to see.”

The 55-year-old points out that unlike what sometimes tends to happen with actors transitioning from TV to the big screen, he did not have to battle notions arising from his over two-decade-long stint on the CID. “In fact, the web has helped me break that image formed in the minds of the audience. Sab actors ko yahi chahiye hota hai, ki kuch different harr project mein try kare, and I think I am being offered roles like that,” Srivastava explains, adding, “Image waali baat reh nahin gayi hai. It’s all about how you are going to be presented in the narrative.”

The actor, who made his screen debut 30 years ago with Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen, goes on to add that OTT offers more avenues for a wide variety of artistes and technicians. “The medium is a way of job generation for writers, actors and directors. It has brought great results for everyone. Web series ka long format allows a bigger playing field, as opposed to cinema, which gives just two hours of storytelling time,” Srivastava says, adding that he has shot for another web series, details of which are under wraps for now.

While digital releases don’t face the same kind of pressure as theatrical projects, the actor asserts that there are different facts that matter here. “It’s not like box-office pressure nahin hai toh koi measure karne ka parameter hi nahin hai. Even if there is no numbers game, shows are expected to churn out new seasons and get dropped if they don’t work. At the end of the day, it is important to satisfy the audience’s need for entertainment,” he ends.