Actors like Sushmita Sen and Manoj Bajpayee delivered successful web shows in 2020. The digital medium has opened up more creative avenues for not just writers and directors, but even actors. While it made stars out of several artistes who were waiting for the right script for years, it even lured Bollywood’s top actors to try their luck on the web.
Here’s a list of top five B-town actors who took a leap of faith towards the OTT platforms and managed to find new fame in recent years.
Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan was a part of anthology film Ludo, directed by Anurag Basu.
Junior Bachchan made his digital debut with Amazon Prime Video’s Breathe: Into The Shadows (2020). His portrayal of a complex character suffering from multiple personality disorders ensured the actor’s successful stint on the web. He was later seen in Ludo on Netflix. His The Big Bull is now heading for a Disney+ Hotstar release.
Saif Ali Khan
Saif Ali Khan starred Sacred Games season two released in 2019.
Saif’s experiments with his projects continued even on the web. With Sacred Games (2018) he became one of the first big names from Bollywood to turn to OTT. And we know the humongous success this Netflix series got him, Saif recently played the lead in Amazon Prime Video’s Tandav too.
Manoj Bajpayee
Manoj Bajpayee had several projects releasing on OTT platforms in the past few years.
As Srikant Tiwari in The Family Man, he was both vulnerable and tough, making Bajpayee’s character a fan favourite. The show received a huge thumbs up and is now gearing up for its second season soon. In the meantime, Bajpayee became a regular on the web with projects like Bhonsle and Mrs. Serial Killer.
Sushmita Sen
Before Aarya, Sushmita Sen’s last Hindi film outing was No Problem (2010).
It took Sushmita nearly a decade to sign onto her next Hindi project. She chose Disney+ Hotstar series Aarya and managed to win back her fans who had almost given up on seeing her back in action. Playing a mother of three who challenges the mafia to avenge the murder of her husband, Sush proved that she is a natural performer.
Bobby Deol
Bobby Deol had two web projects in 2020 – Class of 83 and Aashram.
2020 became a boon for Bobby Deol, who made a successful digital debut. He played the lead in two projects as different as chalk and cheese. While he played a righteous cop in Class of 83 (Netflix), his portrayed a conman in the garb of a self proclaimed godman in Aashram (MX Player). Bobby showed a great range in acting, probably something Bollywood failed to give him till date.