Ankit Siwach: The term star has become metaphorical, doesn’t lift or push down skills

MUMBAI: Gone are the days when superstars could put on any kind of performance on screen and continue to enjoy larger-than-life popularity, says actor Ankit Siwach. The actor, who will soon be making his Bollywood debut with the film Banaras Vanilla, says that thanks to OTT today, the only thing that works with the audience is a good performance. “The digital era has arrived as the golden era for artists. Not only actors but everyone involved in film making can finally be creatively satisfied. Actors want to work for OTT as it gives them the freedom which no other medium does, the audience is niche, if the product is good, it organically reaches its audience. The term ‘Star’ is just metaphorical, it does not lift up or push down any skills. Especially in this era, when everyone owns an app, everyone is a star. Only if you know your work, you survive, be it any job,” he says.

The actor says that the web is always known for bold scenes and crass language and as long as the story justifies these, it is fine. “Bold scenes have been a part of storytelling since centuries, just that they are written or shown differently. They may give you a hint and leave the rest to your imagination, they may show you the details visually, not leaving anything for you to imagine. It is sad that murders, kidnappings, violence, bloodshed are considered cool and we still have to debate about lovemaking scenes. The script can demand anything from you, if you have decided to be a part of it, one needs to be there fully,” he says.

He adds, “Cinema and society feed on each other, times change, everyone evolves. taboos like extramarital affairs, sex, offensive language have been a part of daily lives, but people live in denial, it is important to be open about what the reality is.”

Talking about the kind of content he wants to take up on the web, Ankit says, “

I want to be a part of good stories, especially political dramas and thrillers. Schitts Creek is one of the finest shows ever made, watch it for a happy time. Leila is another show which is underrated, but it a gem.”