The resumption of theatrical releases in the aftermath of the lockdown was expected to have spelt the death knell of streaming platforms, which saw unprecedented success during the pandemic. Exposing the fallacy of such notions, OTT releases — with their superlative content — continued to find favour among the masses in 2022, with fans now finding themselves drawn to their favourite web show characters.

Projects like Mukhbir - The Story of a Spy, CAT, and Monica O My Darling reaffirmed the place of thrillers in the digital space, while with shows like Rocket Boys, fans found reasons to celebrate the works of Indian scientists. If Abhishek Tripathi’s mundane life as the panchayat secretary of a small village was still interesting enough for fans of Panchayat 2 to consume, Shefali Shah’s act as the tough cop in Delhi Crime 2 had families come together for some late-night binge-watching.

Evidently then, when the Mid-day and Radio City Hitlist OTT Awards returned with its fourth edition this year, web-watchers shared their love for their favourite films, stars and shows by voting in abundance. The late Rishi Kapoor and Juhi Chawla’s drama, Sharmaji Namkeen emerged to be the Best Direct-to-Web Film, while Lock Upp winner Munawar Faruqui won the Best Internet Sensation title. Chawla defeated the young guns to win the Best Supporting Actor (Film) title, and Shah took home two titles for Best Actor Series (Delhi Crime S02) and Best Actor Film (Jalsa).

“My character in Delhi Crime 2 is one of the most challenging ones, and yet the most rewarding too. Vartika became unprecedented after season one, so, though I was familiar with her, I was terrified to play her again, since there were big shoes to fill. The expectations were higher. I wanted to ensure that regardless of the case, she comes across as equally dedicated, driven, focused and unmovable when it comes to her duty. Yet the aspects that make her human should not be hidden.”

Talking about the film, Jalsa, Shah says, “Ruksana is fiercely protective of her kids, which I identify with, and hence, I could justify the things she does. There is an unpredictability to the character, but, she thinks from her heart, like a mother would.”

Rajkummar Rao, who took home the title of Best Actor for Monica O My Darling, was celebrated for the portrayal of Jayant Arkhedkar, who suffers the consequences of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Rao says of his win, “To be honest in the situation without intentionally trying to create [humour] was a big challenge, because, as an actor, you become greedy. You begin to think that there is this playground and [there is room to] make things funnier. But, I had to find that right balance in my performance to serve the genre. It needed to be a controlled performance and I had a great time following Vasan’s [Bala] vision. He is an exceptional filmmaker. It’s a layered script, but the way Vasan made the film made me so proud of him. I can’t wait to associate with him again.”

TVF’s Arunabh Kumar, whose offering Panchayat 2 won in the Best Creator/Showrunner category and also in the Best New Season segment, said, “I have been following the Radio City and mid-day Hitlist OTT Awards from the first season and would wonder when we would win. With your faith and trust, we will keep telling better stories.”

Taking home the title for Best Actor (Series), Rocket Boys actor Ishwak Singh reflects on his portrayal of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, and says, “I learnt so much as an actor and about filmmaking.”

Best New Series: Mukhbir - The Story Of A Spy (ZEE5)

Best New Season: Panchayat S02 (Amazon Prime Video)

Best Adaptation (Book/Series): Mukhbir - The Story Of A Spy (ZEE5)

Best Direct-to-Web Film: Sharmaji Namkeen (Amazon Prime Video)

Best Actor (Male) Series: Ishwak Singh (Rocket Boys, Sony LIV)

Best Actor (Female) Series: Shefali Shah (Delhi Crime S02, Netflix)

Best Supporting Actor (Male) Series: Suvinder Vicky (CAT, Netflix)

Best Supporting Actor (Female) Series: Tillotama Shome (Delhi Crime S02, Netflix)

Best Actor (Male) Film: Rajkummar Rao (Monica O My Darling, Netflix)

Best Actor (Female) Film: Shefali Shah (Jalsa, Amazon Prime Video)

Best Supporting Actor (Male) Film: Gajraj Rao (Maja Ma, Amazon Prime Video)

Best Supporting Actor (Female) Film: Juhi Chawla (Sharmaji Namkeen, Amazon Prime Video)

Best Ensemble Cast (Series): Shantanu Shrikant Bhake (Pitchers S02, ZEE5)

Best Non-Fiction: Indian Predator: Murder In A Courtroom (Netflix)

Best Creator/Showrunner: TVF (Panchayat S02, Amazon Prime Video)

Top Internet Sensation: Munawar Faruqui (Lock Upp winner)

The appreciation that Tillotama Shome got for the second season of Delhi Crime has been a long time coming, she believes. Two decades, to be precise. To the actor, who previously collaborated with director Tanuj Chopra on several short films, the Netflix crime drama is the perfect example of the kind of stories they want to tell.

“It was the validation of young dreamers, Tanuj and I, who dreamt together in our twenties about what we wanted to do. We finally did it in our forties,” says Shome, happy to have bagged a Best Supporting Actor: Series nomination at the mid-day and Radio City Hitlist OTT Awards. 

In the second instalment of Delhi Crime that revolves around a series of gruesome murders in Delhi, Shome’s Karishma is easily the most intriguing character. A beautician who closely witnesses the luxuries of the wealthy, Karishma resorts to violence to attain the life that otherwise seems out of her reach.

The idea, Shome says, was to understand her character’s motivations without judgment, thus humanising her. “What interested me was [understanding] why she does this. Did she have a choice? Our choices increase with our privilege. She did not want a child, but had no say in the matter. She was judged for leaving her child behind. It is not a crime to not be maternal, but our society makes it out to be. The yearning for a better life twists within her, and becomes a creature that needs expression. She does what needs to be done, to realize her dreams. You can judge her for it, but she does not care for your approval.”

Tillotama Shome has been nominated in the Best Supporting Actor (Female): Series category for Delhi Crime S02.

The other nominees are:

- Aishwarya Sushmita (Khakee: The Bihar Chapter)

- Bani J (Four More Shots Please S03)

- Neena Gupta (Panchayat S02)

- Rytasha Rathore (Masaba Masaba S02)

- Shilpa Shukla (Four More Shots Please S02)

There are 16 categories that the public can vote in. Log on to www.radiocity.in/hitlistott to cast your vote.

Voting lines close on February 22.

It’s rare for actors to find roles that speak to them, but not for Shefali Shah. The actor, who is reigning digital entertainment with direct-to-web movies and series, has bagged three nominations in this year’s mid-day and Radio City Hitlist OTT Awards. She reprised the role of Vartika Chaturvedi in Tanuj Chopra’s Delhi Crime 2. The actor effortlessly played the sorrowful and helpless maid trying to seek justice for her daughter in Vidya Balan-starrer Jalsa. Who can forget the quirky and quick on her feet Shamshunissa from Darlings?

Thrilled to have had wonderful projects to her name in the year that went by, she says, “I am glad I stuck to my instinct. People have finally recognized that I could be playing the kind of roles that I am playing [now] and headline projects. I feel grateful. I won’t say I am satisfied because I have a long way to go and I have just begun.”

It is indeed time for Shah to reap the benefits of her hard work. The actor believes that the projects turned out great because everyone—writers and directors—were “ready to delve deeper into the human psyche”. “My experience on all three films were extremely enriching. I have to give it to the writers and directors who could finally envision me in these parts, playing my age, leading projects, being a part of the primary ensemble cast and trust me with these kinds of characters. I hadn’t done work like [I did in] Darlings or rather I haven’t been offered work like that, so it was fun. Working with these people in Jalsa has been inspiring,” says the actor, adding that it was scary to return on screen as Vartika in the second instalment of Delhi Crime.

“It has become too large.” The first edition of Delhi Crime won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2020.

Shah, 49, is glad that storytellers are keen to depict reality and tell stories about women who do not necessarily fit into the age bracket of 18 to 22. “It feels gratifying [to see] all the appreciation translating into work.”

Ask her to pick her best work in 2022, and she is quick to say that she had special bond with the quirky woman of Darlings. “There is a perception that I am a serious person, but that has to do with the roles that I play. In fact, the character I [come] the closest to is Shamshunissa in Darlings. I have a quirky, wicked and funny side to me, which was fun [to bring out on screen]. The script was well-written and I love the genre,” says Shah, who is thrilled to be acknowledged at the Hitlist OTT awards.

“Awards are important because they are the recognition of appreciation. It is something that will stay with you forever. I will be lying if I say awards are not important.”

Shefali Shah has been nominated in the Best Actor (Female): Series category for Netflix’s Delhi Crime, Best Actor (Female): Film for Amazon Prime Video’s Jalsa and Best Supporting Actor (Female): Film for Netflix’s Darlings. The other nominees are:

- Amruta Subhash (Saas Bahu Achaar Pvt Ltd, ZEE5)

- Fatima Sana Shaikh (Modern Love Mumbai, Amazon Prime Video)

- Huma Qureshi (Maharani S02, SonyLIV)

- Masaba Gupta (Masaba Masaba S02, Netflix)

- Sakshi Tanwar (Mai: A Mother’s Rage, Netflix)

- Shriya Pilgaonkar (The Broken News, ZEE5)

- Shriya Pilgaonkar (Guilty Minds, Amazon Prime Video)

- Alia Bhatt (Darlings, Netflix)

- Deepika Padukone (Gehraiyaan, Amazon Prime Video)

- Huma Qureshi (Monica O My Darling, Netflix)

- Triptii Dimri (Qala, Netflix)

- Vidya Balan (Jalsa, Amazon Prime Video)

- Ananya Panday (Gehraiyaan, Amazon Prime Video)

- Bhumi Pednekar (Govinda Naam Mera, Disney+ Hotstar)

- Juhi Chawla (Sharmaji Namkeen, Amazon Prime Video)

- Radhika Apte (Monica O My Darling, Netflix)

- Swastika Mukherjee (Qala, Netflix)

There are 16 categories that the public can vote in. Log on to www.radiocity.in/hitlistott to cast your vote. Voting lines close on February 22