The world has fully revolutionized and revolutionized throughout to date irrespective of the fact huddles have come across. Once upon a time when Nokia mobile phones ruled the planet, mobiles came as portable talking devices as a replacement for landline telephones. Then came the concept of smartphones where mobiles turned out to be the most essential gadgets. However, mobiles are the most useful boon for the human race until the time it got into a partnership with the internet with high speed. (4 G). The definition of entertainment used to be either television (cable) or in multiplex theatres. Now all you need is a Smartphone with 4 G internet speed. The Corona pandemic gave rise to a booming industry a form of art OTT platform. OTT stands for OVER THE TOP, which means that you can watch movies, web series, sports, daily soap TV serials on a Smartphone. We have AMAZON PRIME , HOTSTAR , ZEE 5 , SONY LIV , VOOT , NETFLIX . During the outbreak of corona in 2020 people are locked down in homes dying in mental stress agony. They needed entertainment sitting at home during work from home hours. People are just about to enter a new era of the flexible, dynamic definitions of entertainment and art. OTT movies, web series are the new definition of entertainment.
Just a slight dig on the origin of OTT the 1st Indian OTT platform was BIGFLIX in 2008 launched by Reliance Entertainment. In 2010 Digivive launched India’s first OTT Mobile app called nexGTv. OTT acting is an altogether new form of art much different from traditional acting in movies or serials. The level of acting is up to the next level of acting much higher compared to what we see in movies. The unique differentiation is the level of reality portrayed clearly is what makes it best.
Let's take a few examples of recent OTT web series acting. MIRZAPUR in Amazon Prime revolves around the story of 2 young college students who live in the mafia ruled city of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh. The city happens to be the controlling point of the entire Uttaranchal. The gang lord of that area KAALEEN BHAIYA, as addressed by his subjects is the undisputed king of Mirzapur. The only law that governs in there is the law of the barrel. The story takes a turn as both the college boys, Guddu Pandit & Bablu Pandit are dragged into this underworld with no option of returning back to normal life. The reason this web series is epic is due to the fact the raw reality is portrayed so well, such an artistic poetic aura of events. The characters are so real, especially the role of Kaaleen bhaiya ( Pankaj Tripathi ). Without uttering a word just by shaking his neck he took acting to a different level. Pankaj Tripathi is indeed a versatile method actor; the reality of the situation is narrated so precisely, a clear demarcation is set on what is expected and what perceived reality is in those parts of India.
One can actually feel the heat of Mirzapur by watching the web series sitting in his/her AC room. Political unrest, public oppression, and raw display of violence are taken up to the next level in this epic show. The way casually slang is used by MUNNA Bhaiya (son of Kaaleen Bhaiya), mannerism is a signature of classic acting with a touch of utter brilliance. In an interview, Pankaj Tripathi said the role should be portrayed in such a manner if you are doing a villain role people should hate the person in the role, at the same time people should be afraid of it. You are watching Mirzapur and you see Kaaleen bhaiya as the drug lord who claims to be the untold king of Purvanchal, people remember the role not the actor behind it. Now that’s method acting. A dark character that is like a dark superman, nearly unstoppable that’s what the acting is creating the difference. Divyendu Sharma , ( Munna Tripathi ) in an interview said the reality of the role is not about showing the colors of the side of a villain. It is purely how you use the dialogue; the delivery of dialogue is the key. People will never forget these two roles for ages.
Let's take an example of the Bengali OTT platform HOICHOI a very famous platform among all ages. A recent web series MANDAR , is an inspiration of Shakespeare's drama Macbeth. The role of Mondar is played by Debasish Mondal. Other roles are played by Sohini Sarkar, Anirban Bhattacharya. Acting is taken to an altogether different level. A seaside village where a power-hungry muscleman murders his master to grab power in his own hands. He uses his wife to lure his master falling for the death trap. A hard-hitting web series that touches the mind and pierces the heart at the same time. The best part of the entire web series is even after copying and taking ideas from Macbeth the series never lost its flavor of modern touch. Modern-day power hunger, backstabbing, guilt, money game, sex, etc a beautiful displays. The motive of acting in the OTT web series is to move as close as possible towards reality. It actually makes you forget you are watching something and perceive it to be real.
The Web series, KOTA FACTORY the competitive atmosphere and rat race for IIT that takes place in KOTA city Rajasthan is the subject matter of this NETFLIX web series. The role of JEETU BHAIYA, the star physics teacher of PRODIGY classes how he guides Vaibhav an IIT aspirant who came from Ittarcy to Kota to do preparation. Kids leave Kota, but Kota never leaves the students even after they leave the city. 7 years, 4 years of Btech, and 3 years of Job it takes 7 years to overcome the trauma of KOTA. We can actually see a teacher, a visionary delivering the way how to reach salvation, here salvation means IIT gateway obviously. 2 years of group study, friendship, bonding, love, competition, jealousy is what the actual reality is and that’s shown exactly in the series, one of the best realistic web series ever in the Indian television industry. The audience is not watching a film, they are watching hard-core reality. That’s what OTT acting is going to accelerate acting to its next level. It is a huge opportunity for newcomers to make a mark in the entertainment industry that too available anywhere, in any part of the country. And it is indeed a reality that many newcomers have got their major break from OTT platforms only.
In a snapshot OTT acting is the modern era of entertainment, people have an option not to watch TV, cable lines, or go to theatres. All you need is a Smartphone and a 4 G internet connection and the world is in your hands and the actors, performers are on the biggest stage to display their talent. OTT acting is indeed a booming industry.