The rise of these new creative forces stems from the entry of foreign players like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video around 2016. However, the behind-the-camera creative forces including writers, directors, show-runners, costume designers, casting directors, music composers, and even talent management and publicity agencies have also seen a significant spike in the quantity and quality of work.Īs these new entrants navigate towards better contracts and higher pay while learning the art of balancing several projects at a time, much of India’s under-recognized and under-utilized talent seems to have finally come of age. “Here (in web streaming), you’re not limited by the format and you get to unlock a lot of talent, including in acting, which has been languishing for years," Mehta said.Īctors and the on-camera faces that headline projects may be perceived to be the biggest beneficiaries of the OTT boom, which has democratized entry into an industry renown for its entrenched nepotism, in India.
Most in the movie industry tend to prefer working with people with whom they have some prior experience or at least share a certain comfort, said Mehta, who made his feature film debut in 2000 and has been privy to the Bollywood rigmarole for over two decades. “It creates a more equal playing ground for writers, directors and actors… many of whom could (either) not be adopted or co-opted by mainstream cinema since there was only so much work available to do," he added.
“The long format of OTT (over-the-top) allows you to blossom," said Mehta, who is currently working on the second instalment of the Scam franchise, Scam 2003.