Manoj Bajpayee: Time for female actors to get respected

Mumbai

"It's a time for female actors to get and be respected for what they are and what they can deliver," Manoj said.

"This is something that only they were looking for but we as male counterparts were also looking for a situation like this where everybody is getting what they deserve," he added.

Actress Sayani Gupta feels OTT platforms are driving a change in the industry.

Asked about young actors finding a place on OTT platforms, Sayani said: "OTT has really changed the game. With how Bollywood worked, you only get a certain kind of stories green lit but what OTT did was break that mould. So, now you're looking at talent and you have a huge pool to choose from. I feel there couldn't be a better time to be a part of the industry."

To this, Shweta Basu Prasad added: "I think the stories that are now being told are very diverse. All my releases this year were completely different from each other. OTT is a very democratic platform and today, there is a viewership for everything, and every kind of content is being viewed."

"When you're watching a series over a three-season arc, you would want to watch an actor who would invest in a character more than somebody who has 8 pack abs. Come to think of it, Cinema started with short films," said Shweta on the diversity that OTT platforms now offer to the audiences.

The stars opened up about the industry in an upcoming episode of "Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films". The show airs on Zee Cafe in India.