Photos: Stars of India’s once profitable digital soft porn industry

Low-budget, sub-standard acting, wafer-thin scripts define soft core porn films on the web. The sun has set on the once profitable soft porn video film industry of the web, with its ten-minute low-budget films shot in rented farmhouses and airless flats. HT takes a look into the grind, glamour and impediments of the industry that redefined sleaze for the online audience. Four of its ‘stars,’ originally from small towns, look back at their time in that world of quick money, fame and notoriety.

Updated on: Jul 25, 2018 9:45 AM IST

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Pari Tomar occasionally shoots for true-crime magazines like this one apart from running a YouTube channel. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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Pari Tomar did a six-month diploma course in acting and participated in multiple city-level talent hunts. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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“I never faced any issue working in these films. My family supported me,” said Pari Tomar who is from Madhya Pradesh’s Morena district. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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Like many actors in this genre, Manish Agrawal started working in soft porn films hoping that he would get noticed and get work in mainstream movie. (Anushree Fadnavis / HT Photo)

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Manish was one of the most sought after actors when the digital soft porn industry was at its peak. (Anushree Fadnavis / HT Photo)

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Because of his grip on technical aspects, Manish Agrawal now produces and directs short films in two genres: double meaning comedies and true-crime. (Anushree Fadnavis / HT Photo)

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Bhagwan Chand started as an actor in regional films. He's seen here behind the scenes during the shoot for a short comedy movie in Chandigarh. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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Bhagwan Chand during the shoot for some short comedy movies, in Chandigarh. He believes that the films he works on can be watched alongside the mainstream Hindi films. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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Bhagwan Chand during a shoot in Chandigarh. He says he makes films only on subjects he feels strongly about. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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Rajat Kumar, who has acted in more than 500 soft porn films for the web, is a fitness enthusiast. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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Before starting shooting for each video, Rajat Kumar would nonchalantly sign a contract giving his consent for the video to be put online. “Who was going to watch it anyway,” he thought. Within a week of shooting the films, he wondered if there was anyone who didn’t watch them. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)