Aging has liberated me as an actor, people now look beyond glamour: Lara Dutta

Lara Dutta said that she once took a break from work as she wasn't happy about the roles coming her way

Actor Lara Dutta, who received praise for her work in Bellbottom and the series Love and Hookups, says that entering the 40s helped her bag meaty roles and 'liberated' her as a performer. She reveals that there was a time when she was typecast in glamorous roles but things have changed due to the growth of OTT platforms. The Partner actor, who made her Bollywood debut in 2003 with Andaaz, adds that she has survived mainly because she is a 'director's actress' who built relationships with her colleagues right from the first day.

Edited excerpts from the interview with DH:

You have had multiple releases across platforms over the past three years. What is your take on the 'OTT revolution'?

This is the best phase of my career. I built relationships in the industry when I started and that has helped. This industry is based on personal relations. I am a director's actress and always strive to learn something new. With the OTT revolution, I am doing the type of work I always wanted to do. There is no diversity and no typecasting. I feel aging has liberated me as an actor as people now look beyond glamour

Which was the toughest role for you in recent years?

I have done more work in the past three years than I did in the past decade. I had to choose, I would say that Bellbottom was a challenge. Playing Mrs Gandhi was a huge responsibility.

You received praise for your work in Hiccups and Hookups.

It is liberating to play your age. Earlier the psychology of women in that age group just wasn't explored. It addressed issues women in their 40s. The character was real and resonated with many women

Is there any difference between acting in a web series and a film?

The approach is not very different. The challenges, however, are a bit different. In movies, you need to hold the span of the audience for nearly two hours but in a web series that needs to be done for nearly 10 hours. When it comes to OTT, the audience is quick when it comes to decision-making.

What is your take on the 'OTT vs cinema' debate?

You really can't pick one. Cinema has its charm. No actor will ever say that 'I want only OTT'. You can't take cinema away from us. That magic is in our blood.

Is there any role you wish to revisit in the near future?

I don't really want to revisit any role or film as such. That said, a film like Chalo Delhi is close to my heart. It was high on content and did well for us. I would want to do such work going forward,

What was the most challenging phase of your career? How did you deal with it?

The difficult phase came in my late 20s when I was tired of being typecast as someone's wife or girlfriend. I stepped back and didn't sign anything. It worked for me.