'Heeramandi,' 'IC814': Decoding the trend of ensemble shows on OTT
The trend of ensemble casts, popular in Bollywood's retro era with films like Sholay (1975) and Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), has found a new home on OTT platforms. Despite a decline in big-screen ensemble films, digital shows like Delhi Crime, Jubilee, Heeramandi, Mirzapur, and IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack have successfully revived this format. Why are actors attracted to such projects and are there any problems in this format? Let's analyze.
Ensemble shows offer learning opportunities for actors
Ensemble shows provide a unique learning environment for actors. Geetanjali Kulkarni, known for her work in Gullak, told Hindustan Times, "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." Kritika Kamra of Hush Hush, Bambai Meri Jaan, and Tandav fame echoed this sentiment.
Kamra highlighted the challenges and rewards of ensemble shows
Kamra shared her perspective on ensemble shows, stating, "It brings the challenge of keeping up and creating something that sets you apart. At the same, it gives you an opportunity to be a part of something that's bigger in scale and ambition." "It also requires you to be secure and confident and always prioritize the story above your own arc," she added.
Ensemble shows allow for character development: Akshay Oberoi
Akshay Oberoi, who has been a part of Inside Edge, Illegal and The Broken News, 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." His Inside Edge co-star Tanuj Virwani agreed with this view and emphasized that having different characters makes a show binge-worthy.
Other side: Challenges of assembling ensemble casts for OTT shows
However, ensemble casting is not without its challenges. Heeramandi casting director, Shruti Mahajan, revealed that the main difficulty lies in addressing actors' natural hesitations. "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."
'It's a balancing act': 'Mirzapur' director
Karan Anshuman, director of Mirzapur Season 1 and Rana Naidu agreed with Mahajan. "Working with an ensemble cast is a balancing act as actors have historically always jostled for screen time and space. Actors also understand that series, unlike films, isn't always about one lead, it's about how all these characters interact and drive the story forward." "My job is to convince them that every contribution is one towards weaving it together in a way that serves the bigger picture."
Popular Hindi shows featuring multiple actors
Several popular shows in the Indian streaming space feature a plethora of actors. Some examples include Panchayat (Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yadav, Jitendra Kumar); Heeramandi (Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sonakshi Sinha); Jubilee (Hydari, Aparshakti Khurana, Prosenjit Chatterjee); IC 814 (Vijay Varma, Manoj Pahwa, Naseeruddin Shah), among others. Upcoming shows like Freedom At Midnight (Sidhant Gupta, Chirag Vohra, Rajendra Chawla) and Citadel: Honey Bunny (Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kay Kay Menon) are multistarrers too.
