‘OTT is a character-driven medium’

Says Maanvi Gagroo, for who the digital platform has opened many doors

“With big films there

is a lot of footfall, a lot more people see

your work. But the problem is you are

liable to get stereotyped. In OTT,

every character is well fleshed out. The roles that I’m getting now are far meatier than I got in films

back in the day.” — Maanvi Gagroo,

actress

Actor Maanvi Gagroo says getting typecast as the best friend of the lead star or as a “bubbly Punjabi girl” in big-budget films led her to move towards the digital medium.

Best known for her work in web series like TVF Pitchers, TVF Tripling and Four More Shots Please! Gagroo’s film credits include No One Killed Jessica, PK, and Tu Hai Mera Sunday, among others. “On the big screen, the kind of roles that I was getting were that of the heroine’s best friend or the hero’s sister. So, there would be all these trappings that I was not really enjoying. With big films there is a lot of footfall, a lot more people see your work. But the problem is you are much more liable to get stereotyped,” says the 35-year-old.

Citing the example of No One

Killed Jessica, in which she essayed a journalist, Gagroo said she was flooded with many offers to play related roles thereafter. “Like after No One

Killed Jessica, I got so many offers to play a journalist. Though I picked something in that zone in PK but I did so because I was getting the opportunity to be directed by Rajkumar Hirani. Post that Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and Ujda Chaman happened. And by then, I knew what I wanted to do,” she added.

Today, the Delhi-born actor said she is happy to be part of the OTT platform as she is getting the opportunity to play wholesome characters here.

“I don’t know what it would have been like, had OTT not come in. Like in Pitchers I have less screen time, but it was a fleshed-out character, it was a significant part and hence it became popular. I started getting more work after that. OTT is a character-driven (medium). It’s not just about the lead, every character is well fleshed out. The roles that I’m getting now are far meatier than I got in films.”

OTT has opened a lot of doors not only for her, but also for a lot of creative people including talented writers, directors, and technicians who weren’t getting work, she said.

The actor’s latest digital release is Amazon miniTV’s Kaali Peeli Tales. She also features in the Marriage 2.0 segment with Hussain Dalal. “I really liked the story and my character. The character that I play is Malini. She is far more mature, wiser and confident of herself, her opinions,” Gagroo said.