The art of ensembles on OTT: What is the takeaway for actors?

The Indian film industry has seen a shift in the popularity of ensemble casts over the years. During the retro period, movies featuring multiple stars, such as Sholay (1975) and Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), were major box office draws. This trend continued into the early 2000s with hits like Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999) and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001). However, in recent times, big-budget ensemble films have become less common in theatres.

Interestingly, the concept of ensemble casts has found new life on digital streaming platforms. Shows like Delhi Crime, Jubilee, City Of Dreams, Heeramandi, and IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack have achieved significant success by featuring talented ensembles. While audiences enjoy seeing multiple skilled actors on screen together, it raises the question of what motivates actors to participate in these ensemble projects.

The massive takeaway for any actor in an ensemble is the opportunity of getting to learn from the talent around them. “Because of the give and take, the stories become livelier. It helps an artiste as everyone comes from a different background and culture and it makes the environment more interesting,” said actorGeetanjali Kulkarniwho has worked inGullak.

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ActorKritika Kamrastates that ensembles keep her on her toes. She said that it brings the challenge of keeping up and creating something that sets you apart. At the same, it allows you to be a part of something bigger in scale and ambition. It also requires you to be secure and confident and always prioritise the story above your arc.

Akshay Oberoi believes the luxury of time on the web also adds to the appeal. “OTT is not limited by time, so there is room for character arcs to develop. That’s why you see so many ensembles in the OTT space. It has character-driven subplots for everyone, and it entices good actors. And when amazing talents get together on OTT, it also challenges the film world and pushes them to improve,” he said.

Oberoi’sInside Edgeco-starTanuj Virwani, who has also done ensemble shows like Cartel and Murshid,amplifies his opinion saying, “In a film, the structure is very different as it has a beginning, an interval and a climax. You have your quintessential hero, an antagonist and a heroine. But in a long format, you get eight-nine hours of screen time to portray a fully fleshed-out story. If you have only two to three characters for that long, no matter how interesting your story is, it will start to get redundant. But having different colours through more characters makes your show bingeworthy. Every character gets to be the hero of their own story.”

Further adding, “You’d have aVijay Varmaor aSiddhant Chaturvedibreak out once in a while from OTT to films, but the opportunities are very limited as the hierarchy system there is very different. You still need to have the typical male lead image, but that’s not there in OTT. So, this is an area where (the)web triumphs big screen.”

But bringing ensembles together has its own set of challenges.Heeramandicasting director, Shruti Mahajan, shared, “The challenge often lies in addressing the natural hesitations some actors may have about being part of an ensemble. Unlike films where a single actor often carries the narrative, ensemble casts require each actor to understand that the story is shared. Every actor wants the story to focus on them but ensuring that every actor feels their role is significant while contributing to the chemistry and dynamics of the group is crucial.”