Soha Ali Khan on Hush Hush: ‘I am happy that OTT has given a woman like me in her forties to be employed’

Content has truly become queen and not king. It is the end of the stereotypical Bollywood heroine with OTT. There was a time when we saw roles of women being under-represented, but streaming has given us the opportunity to look at female characters particularly with a different lens. In conversation with actor Soha Ali Khan on Amazon Prime’s _Hush Hush_ , the different shades of women roles and how she feels to be happily employed in her early forties, which was like a distant dream in Bollywood a few years back, but thanks to OTT. Edited excerpts from the interview: How women roles are changing for good and we are not seeing the stereotypical heroine who is like an accessory in cinema? I am liking it a lot to see women in different shades. Firstly, because there are women of all ages being represented and their stories are being given importance and most important their stories are being told, seen and watched. There are all kinds of women from different professions. And the series shows the different stages of their personal lives. For a person like me who is in her early forties I am just happy to be employed. In OTT a lot of importance is given to the ancillary female characters that you have in films or shows. All characters are given some kind of depth and roundness. So they are not just coming in for being a support to the male lead. All the women characters have some purpose and an important role to play and they add value to the story. I think the filmmakers and writers are thinking like this is probably because the audience is demanding these kinds of powerful, layered female characters that they wish to watch. I think there is a need to have more such roles and we are definitely moving in the right direction. OTT doesn’t box you and how every character in the digital platform justifies their own journey and existence? When something is well written then every character justifies their own journey and existence. Each and every character today is very detailed and interwoven well with the story and for every character there is a reason for them to be there. Both producers and makers along with the audiences are willing to see people play different roles. Varied characters and the stories are also something different and there is a desire to see people in different shades. The stereotyping is a lot less. Content creators are looking for variety Ageism in Bollywood and the fact that OTT gives a scope to play your age and do a lead role. OTT has given scope to do stories around women who are older and stories that are relevant in their life. You will never see a woman with grey hair doing a lead role on the big screen. You play your age and you don’t need to make an effort to look young. I am in my early forties and I am happy that now scripts are written keeping my age in mind, not making me feel young or old and obsolete. There is a unique story around every character and that’s what is attractive when it comes to the digital platform.

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