Rajeev Khandelwal
(Actor who became a household name with Kahiin to Hoga, made a Bollywood debut with Aamir and has been dabbling with OTT)
ALI
Who looks up to Bollywood!! (Laughs aloud) I do not know what’s happening on TV for the last ten years. But, I don’t think I have been looked down upon by anyone. You command that respect. Why I am saying that is because I hear some actors saying, ‘I want to do films’ and that could be a choice… But why should you feel film actors are bigger than you? Your reach is bigger, be proud of yourself. When you go to smaller villages you will probably get more love in comparison to any of the so-called film actors. Doing a film is absolutely fine. I should be excited to do different mediums, and not because it is in any way superior. I do things my way and I don’t care what anyone thinks or feels, because I get a lot of love, adulation and appreciation for the way I am.
Tinaa Dattaa
(Won hearts as the loveable Ichcha from Uttaran and also appeared in Aishwarya Rai Bachchan-starrer Chokher Bali)
Honestly, I feel television actors now have some of the strongest and widest fan bases and get a lot of admiration and love. Currently, TV is one of the most wide spread mediums throughout the country. In fact, people from the smallest to the biggest of cities are connected to television and their favourite shows and actors. Hence, the support and love for them is definitely huge.
Sourabh Raaj Jain
(He made a place in audiences hearts as Lord Vishnu in Mahadev and Krishna in the new Mahabharat)
I feel any character, irrespective of the medium or platform which he/she entertains the audience in some way or another, gets admiration from viewers. The other important thing is the reach. And, television definitely has a wider reach than any other platform and so the love received is also immense. Actors are actors irrespective of the medium, viewers don’t differentiate that way. But, yes I feel people within the industry are divided on the same. I hope with time these changes.
Hiten Tejwani
(He impressed as Pratham Mittal in Kutumb and featured in films like Krishna Cottage and Kalank)
Television has come a long way and I feel television actors are as popular as film actors today. Now, even film actors are doing something or the other on television, because they are aware of the massive reach of television. As far as admiration is concerned, it is more or less the same. However, the OTT boom has affected television as people now have more options and easy access to a lot more content. They can watch their favourite shows and series online anytime.
Sara Arfeen Khan
(She is best known for her role as Alka Tiwari in Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein)
Television has definitely come a long way and television actors, in general, tend to receive more love and have bigger recall value than debut actors, in some cases. This is because there are still a lot of villages in India that don’t have access to cinema halls and television is their only form of entertainment. In cities, it’s the opposite. Here, content is king, and Bollywood actors are given more importance than television actors. The big screen also offers an actor more diversity in terms of characters they get to portray, unlike in television where one sticks to a particular character for years on end. The newer generation prefers everything fast and at the tip of their fingers, hence OTT is the latest buzz in the industry. Personally, with OTT taking over, I don’t see a very bright future for regular TV.
Priyal Mahajan
(Currently seen opposite Amar Upadhyay in Molkii)
Whether one is a TV or a film actor, to be successful in both the industries, one needs to put in a lot of hard work. I've not witnessed a lack of respect, so far. Also, each industry has good and bad people, but being from a certain background, whether TV or film, does not define if one should be respected or not. The reason why there is a big difference between both is because TV scripts have a different and traditional backdrop with stories that have been on people's television screens for decades. Overtime, people develop a bond with the characters from the show. Watching a television show is like knowing a family in an out, or like your own family. Film content is different, and so is the audience. But I can see things changing and TV content being more experimental. So in the near future I can see both TV and films having a mutual audience; and then maybe the 'discrimination' will dissolve. —With input from Manasi Y Mastakar
