Rasika Dugal: OTT platforms proved that we’ve been underestimating our audience for a long time

Actor Rasika Dugal feels the audience has an appetite for a variety of genres, and until OTT platforms made that apparent, makers thought the same-old subjects is what the viewers want.

Actor Rasika Dugal has been making waves on the OTT medium — Delhi Crime, Mirzapur, Out Of Love are just a few of the popular shows she has been a part of. She feels it all has been more than she ever imagined.

“All that happened in the last three years has been very encouraging, in terms of the kind of audience I had an opportunity to act for, in terms of different content I got a chance to be part of. Delhi Crime, Mirzapur both had different kinds of audiences,” the actor tells us.

While it was always said that the kind of content made depends on the audience’s taste, Dugal feels it isn’t the case anymore.

 

Explaining her point, she adds, “For long, we’ve been underestimating our audience, they have an appetite for variety and all sorts of genres. They were limited earlier since (makers thought) what the audience wants, OTTs have broken that myth. With every new show, there are new faces, new directors who have opportunity to showcase their talent, not like the last two-three years when a few people continued to get all work. There’s been more than enough work for all people.

The Covid-19 pandemic saw theatres being shut down, and production work halted until recently. OTT platforms emerged as the only source of entertainment for almost everyone.

Ask the 40-year-old whether this is the time when OTT platforms actually gained widespread acceptance, and Dugal says, “I have heard that, people saying right now it seems to be one of the only ways to consume content. The numbers have gone up, but even without that, earlier I think, the way you consume content would be what is most conducive. Everybody is constantly doing so many things. This is the form of entertainment which allows you to access it whenever you have the time. That’s why they have been doing so well. The way we consume content should be conducive to the lives we lead.”