OTT escapes lowest common denominator logic: Gul Panag

The actor's lockdown-time release 'Paatal Lok' has been doing

Gul Panag knows that there is now a “new normal”, one that may last months and maybe even more. And this has pushed the professionals of the movie industry to adopt new processes. And even as she says that other trades may have to shift to these processes more than the actors, Gul has been attentive to what has been happening.

But winds of change have been blowing not just at the workplace, but at home as well. One may suppose that the actor, who is both a pilot and a biker, is suffocating at home with all the regulations, but Gul insists that she is not.

“I am someone who adapts, someone who does not look for a reason to fight. In fact, I am fitter than I was before the lockdown. I do 10 military push-ups, in the textbook-style,” she says.

The lockdown still took getting used to. “The first two-three weeks were tough. Two dogs and a three-year-old child together can be overwhelming. Walking the dogs can be a challenge; what do I do with my kid when I am walking them?” But she says the fact that we are powerless to fight made things get better day after day: “I don’t know how long it is going to be like this. Maybe the next 8-10 months. I wouldn’t say that I am thriving right now, but I am on the way to thriving.”

Nonetheless, it seems to be a great time as far as her releases are concerned. The show ‘Paatal Lok’, the shooting for which was done ahead of the lockdown, has turned into a favourite of those who are binge-watching from home.

The Amazon original is a gritty police drama that does away with the usual glamourisation of the genre. She plays the wife of the cop Hathi Ram, played by Jaideep Ahlawat. “Her life is intrinsically linked to his, and her aspirations are met through his life and career,” Gul says.

Asked how OTT platforms are changing the industry in the post-Covid era, she says: “From an acting perspective, there really is no difference. Because they are shot at the scale of a film. Yes, you may get more time to be with the character and to develop the character. But that would be going into it with a fine toothcomb.”

“Where it is different is for the directors, producers and writers. OTT platforms collect data points depending on the viewers’ behaviour. Cambridge Analytica, for instance, had collected 5,000 data points. Viewer behaviour can be mapped using these data points, in terms of what you watch, what you don’t watch, what you search for. With this, they can create specific content for specific audiences, instead of going by the rationale of the lowest common denominator.” Gul adds that this is great for actors because they get roles that are tailor-made to suit them.

Asked if the industry will go back to its old routine after the lockdown, she says, “That’s an interesting question. But one WHO spokesperson said Covid-19 may be here to stay. So, the old normal may not be there anymore.”