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Hindustan Times

Paramvir Singh Cheema: After watching OTT, people have understood the difference between a star and an actor

Paramvir Singh Cheema has had quite an eventful 2025. Black Warrant and Chamak season 2 - his two web shows were successful. His first Punjabi debut, Pitt Sivapa and his Bollywood debut Border 2, are also in the pipeline. 'I am not able to process it right now because a lot of good things are happening. I was waiting for this for a very long time,' the actor says. Ask him how things have changed after this slew of successes and he says, 'Other artistes have started giving me respect. Earlier I didn't use to get that. I've got to work with a lot of big actors and learn from them. My sense of cinema has changed and now I'm able to figure out the difference between commercial and art cinema. Earlier, it was all about art cinema for me, but now I realise the importance of having commercial success too.' In the time when leading filmmakers have come out and said Bollywood is in dire need of new faces, Paramvir insists that being an outsider and a newcomer in the industry has been challenging. But he adds, " If a director like Hansal Mehta is recommending actors like Adarsh Gourav, Sparsh Shrivastava among other new talent, it's a big deal. The stars who are charging bug bucks, if their films are not working, it's a big loss. But the films of newcomers are working on the other side. After watching OTT, people have understood the difference between a star and an actor. They also want something new. They want to feel something different. There has been a significant change, and every change is preceded by a drop. It is this drop, and it happens after every 15-20 years.' Crediting OTT for this change, the actor says, 'All the actors who have been struggling, OTT has been a blessing for them. Earlier, we didn't even use to get auditions, now we are getting that at least. A lot of directors are watching OTT to find out the capability of actors to give them a chance in a big film. I have been cast by a big director in a big film because of my performance in Black Warrant. OTT has become like an audition for films.' Another challenge that new actors are facing today is casting being done basis Instagram followers count, but Paramvir doesn't believe in that. 'A lot of people tell me to increase my followers and likes. But then I tell those people that I am an actor, not a content creator, and I don't want to be one. I don't want to promote brands no matter the money. I want my exclusivity for my work. In between, a lot of people said you need followers to crack a role. But there are so many examples of people with large number of followers, what have they cracked? Also, being too much on social media, you show everything. There is no mystery,' he says, adding, 'Casting is not happening on the basis of followers' count. You might get a small role of that of an influencer only, but not a poignant part.'