Annup Sonii: Digital platforms have given a lot of freedom to writers, actors and directors

By: Mohnish Singh

Amazon Prime Video’s Tandav (2021), which hit the streaming service earlier this year, found itself in midst of a controversy after certain scenes did not go down well with some sections of the society. Though it was not the first time when a streaming show ruffled some people’s feathers, Tandav received a lot of eyeballs simply because it had several prominent names attached to it.

Actor Annup Sonii, who featured in one of the scenes in Tandav that quoted controversy, tells an Indian publication that actors cannot be held responsible every time, but they do have to be very careful. He adds that he always believe that in life, there has to be a balance of everything.

The actor agrees that people look up to celebrities as their role models and hence, they have to accept the responsibility that comes along. “It is fact that people look up to actors. When a celeb is signed on to promote a product, why are they chosen? It is because people will get influenced. They say, ‘He did this, he did that’. It matters to them,” he reasons.

Commenting on the hot topic of web censorship on streaming content, Sonii says that many shows that received backlash after going online opted to self-censor their content. “That will keep happening. India is such a huge country, there are so many people, and the system functions in a wrong way,” he explains.

The actor, however, feels that streaming media platforms have given equal opportunities to actors, directors, and writers. “OTT platforms have given a lot of freedom to writers, actors and directors. So, I am just looking forward to doing a lot of good work,” he signs off.

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