There is a taboo attached to TV actors: Barkha
Having started her acting career with the small screen, Barkha Sengupta admits that transitioning to films was quite a challenge because of the existing prejudices against television actors. And as the current chorus about unfair treatment in Bollywood is becoming louder, the actor says it is time to abolish such an attitude.
“Of course it is true that if you are a TV artiste, it is assumed that you act in a certain way. When you go to talk for a film, you realise that there is a taboo that is attached to TV actors,” says Sengupta, who has been a part of films such as Raajneeti (2010), Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013) and PM Narendra Modi (2019). Elaborating, she says that people think that a TV actor will perform in a certain way. “I agree that films and OTT keep it real. But it’s a misconception that actors like me, who have done TV, cannot move on to different styles and methods of acting,” she explains.
However, Sengupta, 40, feels that the advent of the OTT platforms have brought some relief to actors and freed them of such prejudices. “It has created a platform which is somewhere between films and television. People who were doing TV before, for them, the next step was always films. There was a huge gap between TV and films, so I think the web is kind of helping in bridging that gap. It is great for actors who are looking for creative outlet and opportunities,” opines the actor, who recently starred in the web show Ratri ke Yatri.
Sengupta also feels that OTT platforms will always prioritise content, and that will reflect in the kind of opportunities that they open for talents.
“Nothing will surpass content on OTTs because a lot of people have access to world content and the benchmark is that high. The comparison is with world content,” she says.