Princess diaries

ADITI RAO HYDARI IS IN LOVE WITH SHOWBIZ. SUMAN SHARMA SPILLS THE BEANS ON THE AFFAIR

- SUMAN SHARMA

Aditi Rao Hydari

There's an innocence to her that you pray remains with her always. A fragility that becomes palpable on screen. And this vulnerability isn't just limited to screen time. Looking at her, you find it hard to believe that she hasn't just survived but thrived in the dog-eat-dog world of showbiz. Hearing her waxing eloquent about movies, you realise she's genuinely enthusiastic about being part of cinema. In fact, she considers her position a privilege. Her goals are simple, she wants to be relevant for as long as she can be. Perhaps it's that determination which drove her to seek meatier roles down South. And which is driving her to push the envelope on OTT. She'll be seen in two period drama series. While Taj: Divided By Blood, is set in the Mughal times, Heeramandi is set in the pre-partition era and tells the tale of a generation of courtesans. She talks about both with candour and wit. Excerpts:

DO YOU THINK OTT PLATFORMS ARE A GAME CHANGER, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO PORTRAYING FEMALE CHARACTERS IN A BETTER LIGHT?

We all love theatre. We love to see larger-than-life films and it’s magical. However, OTT gives content creators a certain creative freedom to tell so many different stories in so many different ways. And our audience wants to consume different stories and content as well. They are open to it and they are choosing what they want. It’s about the stories without any kind of market pressure. The audience is consuming all kinds of things and not investing in a set formula. The makers as well as the actors have recognised that maturity and are paying heed to the change. It’s an interesting time for everyone and not just actresses.