<p>Actor Namit Das is gearing up for the release of the eagerly-awaited Zee5 original series <em>Mafia</em>, which has created a fair deal of buzz among fans. Speaking exclusively to DH, he opens up about playing a ‘layered’ character on the show and the OTT revolution.</p>.<p><strong>What encouraged you to take up <em>Mafia</em>?</strong></p>.<p>Mafia is a dark and messy affair, which becomes pretty chaotic towards the end. I felt that that it a good narrative. Moreover, the series helped me connect with the North Bengal region, which has its own charm. When you say Bengal, most people think of Kolkata but there is more to it.</p>.<p><strong>How was the experience of working on a Hindi-Bengali bilingual show?</strong></p>.<p>Even though this is bilingual, my character speaks in Hindi in both versions as he comes from a Bihari background.</p>.<p><strong>How did you prepare for your character in <em>Mafia</em>?</strong></p>.<p>I play a layered character, who is an ‘outsider’ in every sense. I worked on getting the Bihari accent right and tried to incorporate different aspects of his personality into my performance.</p>.<p><strong>What are the challenges associated with working on a web series?</strong></p>.<p>Shooting a show for the digital medium is more tiring when compared to working on a movie. The time frame is shorter so you have to shoot more. In a way, it is like shooting three films in one. One also needs to be sharper and more attentive while working a web series.</p>.<p><strong>Will OTT emerge as a strong alternative to the theatre system in the near future?</strong></p>.<p>OTT will emerge as one of the strong mediums for storytelling and co-exist with the theatre setup. I feel, people will go to movie halls once things open up.</p>.<p><strong>How did the acting bug bite you?</strong></p>.<p>I initially wanted to become a singer (and had interest in music). I studied in a noted college that had a good theatre scene and this helped me develop interest in acting.</p>.<p><strong>What is the best advice you have received in your career?</strong></p>.<p>I once asked a senior director ‘kya mujhse acting ho payigi?'. He said that it will happen on its own as long as you want it to happen.</p>
<p>Actor Namit Das is gearing up for the release of the eagerly-awaited Zee5 original series <em>Mafia</em>, which has created a fair deal of buzz among fans. Speaking exclusively to DH, he opens up about playing a ‘layered’ character on the show and the OTT revolution.</p>.<p><strong>What encouraged you to take up <em>Mafia</em>?</strong></p>.<p>Mafia is a dark and messy affair, which becomes pretty chaotic towards the end. I felt that that it a good narrative. Moreover, the series helped me connect with the North Bengal region, which has its own charm. When you say Bengal, most people think of Kolkata but there is more to it.</p>.<p><strong>How was the experience of working on a Hindi-Bengali bilingual show?</strong></p>.<p>Even though this is bilingual, my character speaks in Hindi in both versions as he comes from a Bihari background.</p>.<p><strong>How did you prepare for your character in <em>Mafia</em>?</strong></p>.<p>I play a layered character, who is an ‘outsider’ in every sense. I worked on getting the Bihari accent right and tried to incorporate different aspects of his personality into my performance.</p>.<p><strong>What are the challenges associated with working on a web series?</strong></p>.<p>Shooting a show for the digital medium is more tiring when compared to working on a movie. The time frame is shorter so you have to shoot more. In a way, it is like shooting three films in one. One also needs to be sharper and more attentive while working a web series.</p>.<p><strong>Will OTT emerge as a strong alternative to the theatre system in the near future?</strong></p>.<p>OTT will emerge as one of the strong mediums for storytelling and co-exist with the theatre setup. I feel, people will go to movie halls once things open up.</p>.<p><strong>How did the acting bug bite you?</strong></p>.<p>I initially wanted to become a singer (and had interest in music). I studied in a noted college that had a good theatre scene and this helped me develop interest in acting.</p>.<p><strong>What is the best advice you have received in your career?</strong></p>.<p>I once asked a senior director ‘kya mujhse acting ho payigi?'. He said that it will happen on its own as long as you want it to happen.</p>
