We cannot afford to be less than any international show: Darshan Kumaar

Actor Darshan Kumaar believes the recent OTT boom is providing good amount of work to many in the industry, but the audience has become exceptionally smart as now our shows are directly competing with international projects.

Actor Darshan Kumaar feels this is an ideal phase for actors and other creative people. He believes the recent OTT boom is providing good amount of work to many in the industry, but the audience has become exceptionally smart as now our shows are directly competing with international projects.

Darshan Kumaar (Instagram)

“OTT platform is celebrating the real talent as content now has become the hero which is a win-win situation for all. But makers need to be cautious as audience is too smart and aware. They are getting to watch Korean shows and international content, so our product has to be at par with their standard. Industry people now understand this and are working towards raising the bar a bit high,” says the actor.

Kumaar says the audiences now reacts instantly on social media and give their feedback. “The hate messages for Major Sameer in The Family Man-2 and Toofan and like messages for my role of Major Raunaq (Avrodh…) or sub-inspector Ujagar (Aashram) and this is what I was always yearning for. The real feedback be it hate or love texts — give me a boost that I did my job well. Initially, I used to be taken aback but now I have started enjoying such hate messages.”

He adds that throughout his career he has balanced well between negative (NH10, Baaghi2) and positive roles (Tere Naam, Mary Kom, Sarabjit).

The actor shares every role needs prep and hard work but playing a negative role demands more sweat and blood.

“Being a method actor, in TFM2 I had to convince myself that I am an anti-Indian and to justify that was really taxing. In my last flick, where I am shown with one eye, I had kept that side covered for nearly two months so I can learn the mannerism and body language of such person. So, when I play a character, I think like him and not like Darshan does. At the end, when industry and audience give feedback, it feels that I am on the right path.”

Before the second wave, he has completed two films one of which is with R Madhavan.

“Next, I will be coming back to Ayodhya to shoot for third season of Aashram, hopefully by September-end. I have signed two big projects which will be announced soon. Something may happen in between as well. Problem is that now everyone wants early dates. At times I am in a fix as what to take up and what to leave. These are projects for which I have made up my mind after lot of contemplation. It will be sad if I have to lose any of them!” says Kumaar.