In a year of incredible performances, we saw the rise and rise of some underdogs who finally found their voice and validation as stars and artistes. Let's see who they are!
A still from Paatal Lok and Scam 1992, Picture Courtesy: PR
2020 was not the year of films, it was the year of web series. Actors who were always around but were not noticed were at the centre of the limelight in much-needed and much-acclaimed shows that rightly tapped into their talent. Here are the names of the biggest OTT stars of the year:
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1. Pratik Gandhi - Scam 1992
Pratik Gandhi was the hero's friend in LoveYatri and Mitron in 2018, and in 2020, he was nearly everyone's friend. Why? Because he played a character everyone wanted to know and understand. He played Harshad Mehta, the man responsible for bringing the term 'scam' into existence. Not many knew how the man spoke or sensed things, so Gandhi became the man's representation, nailing the language and the nuances, and making himself one of the biggest stars of the year. His success is no scam!
Also Read: Pratik Gandhi: Was Convinced Scam 1992 Would Not Be A Bingeable Show
2. Jaideep Ahlawat - Paatal Lok
Ahlawat is the man we have often encountered in movies like Raazi, Gangs of Wasseypur, and Commando. We began to know him only after the brutal series that Paatal Lok was. The mysterious case of attempting to assassinate a top-shot journalist triggers his will to prove his worth and make his son proud. The actor was visibly exhausted throughout the show's running time and his nearly one-note performance suited the milieu he was a part of. He has a conflicted relationship with his son and a complicated case at his disposal, thus proving it's not easy to be a police officer, unless you want to write something like a Singham or Simmba.
3. Dibyendu Bhattacharya - Undekhi
The actor is quickly coming into the limelight. Here was another mystery that was waiting to be solved only by this ingenious character who's addressed as an Inspector despite being a DSP. Bhattacharya added some comic flairs to his character and it's only towards the end that his conscience awakens. Undekhi ends on a cliffhanger, but we don't have to wait for season 2 to realise how good this actor was.
4. Rasika Dugal - Mirzapur 2
Beena Tripathi is a woman who craves for her husband's time and attention, and a relation that includes physical proximity. In a fictional world of gangsters and bloodshed, sex becomes a necessity for a longing and lonely wife and she forms a dangerous bond with her father-in-law. Dugal essays this part with no inhibitions and there's a certain sadness that accompanies her desire for sexual gratification.
5. Jitendra Kumar - Panchayat
Panchayat is the most fun show on OTT this year. There's not a single murder here, yet it unravels with one mystery after another. Kumar plays Abhishek Tripathi, who lands a job in the Phulera district and experiences what the unseen side of the country looks like. His endless attempts to adjust to this new world are both horrific and humorous, and his encounters with a bunch of idiosyncratic characters only powers the show's solid writing. The second season could reflect on his love story, given how the first one ends. It's nice to see something good happening to a good man.
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Also Read: Jaideep Ahlawat On Paatal Lok Success: The Love That We All Have Been Getting, It Feels Unreal
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