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Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Bobby Deol, Manoj Bajpayee, Saif Ali Khan, Abhishek Bachchan: How Bollywood's big names found a fresh spark on OTT
Once upon a time, Bollywood careers lived and died by the Friday box office. The hero got the close‑ups, the heroine got the glamour, and the rest of the cast got whatever the script allowed. Success wasn't about how many people watched you, it was about how much money your film made in its first weekend. Then OTT happened. Suddenly, the star system wasn't the only way to win hearts. A good story could outshine a big name, and actors could take on characters they'd never get in a traditional film. Veteran actor Puneet Issar recently described the shift to Bombay Times as, OTT is a reality in today's time. It came in, and people love to watch OTT shows. Good work is happening there, and the audience appreciates it. Puneet Issar, Actor And nowhere is that truer than in the reinventions of actors like Bobby Deol , Manoj Bajpayee , Saif Ali Khan , Abhishek Bachchan and more, all of whom found new life in the world of streaming. Bobby Deol's transformation into feared godman paved the way for 'Animal' There was a time when Bobby Deol was best known for his chocolate‑boy looks, glossy hair, and dancing to 'Soldier Soldier' with Preity Zinta . After a few quiet years, he turned up on OTT and nobody saw this version coming. His gritty role in 'Class of '83' was just the beginning. Prakash Jha's 'Aashram' sealed the deal, giving him a menacing depth Bollywood had never tapped into before. Speaking to ETimes, Bobby had shared, I have spent 25 years in the industry and never saw such a response before for my work. It is just phenomenal. It feels like I have just begun my career. I always dreamt of waking up every day and leaving for work. And that is exactly what's happening now. I am happy that with OTT projects, I could explore the actor in me, and with movies, I could reach out to the younger generation. Bobby Deol, Actor Back in 2022, he explained during a chat with TOI saying, 'I always wanted to be known for my work, and I got the recognition through OTT platforms. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Beautiful Women In The World I wanted to play characters that were different from the typical ones that came with commercial cinema. I love commercial cinema, but the fact that I was getting to do something that was never offered to me before, enticed me. I want to be challenged as an actor every day as I know that it can bring out the best in me. And that's what the fight is about in this phase of my career.' Bobby also pointed out the bigger picture, 'Cinema could not accommodate everyone, but OTT has opened avenues for fresh, young talent. Today, you can't find a director, actor or a cinematographer. It's not easy to find them available because everybody can get a job today. This medium is keeping even those who were complaining there's no work or opportunities for them on their toes.' Suddenly, Bobby Deol wasn't just the 'Soldier' star, he was the chilling godman of 'Aashram', a reinvention so powerful it even paved the way for his commendable role in Sandeep Reddy Vanga's 'Animal'. From dancing hero to dark cult leader, Bobby's OTT makeover shows exactly how OTT is a star‑maker. Manoj Bajpayee becomes streaming's most relatable secret agent Manoj Bajpayee has always been one of Bollywood's most versatile actors, but OTT gave him the kind of mass connect that mainstream films rarely allowed him. As Srikant Tiwari in 'The Family Man', he became the relatable spy, a man saving the country while juggling school PTMs, grocery shopping, and family squabbles. When ETimes asked him about the switch to streaming, Manoj kept it simple, 'My focus has always been on the performance and not the format. When I was doing theatre, I was working on my performance, the same holds true for television, short films as well as OTT shows. I know that my job is to act; the medium is no concern of mine.' Suddenly, Manoj Bajpayee wasn't just Bhiku Mhatre from 'Satya', he was India's most relatable our friendly neighbourhood spy in 'The Family Man'. OTT gave him space to balance action, drama, and comedy in a way that big‑screen roles never quite allowed. Saif Ali Khan's success with 'Sacred Games' Saif Ali Khan has always enjoyed offbeat roles, from 'Omkara' to 'Being Cyrus', but OTT gave him a stage where those risks really paid off. Saif was one of tne of first mainstream movie stars to step into OTT. 'Sacred Games' was a game‑changer, pairing him with Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a tense, stylish thriller that had the whole country binging episodes late into the night. The morally complex portrayal Sartaj Singh , has won global acclaim and fan calls from places far beyond India. During a panel with Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos at WAVES, Saif revealed, The fact that it (OTT content) goes out around the world and to so many people. I get phone calls from people who wouldn't normally call me for a cinematic release, but on Netflix, everybody rings up, people ring up from Europe and America, and so we watch this and we're compared to the rest of the world. It's a very, very exciting space Saif Ali Khan, Actor He further added, 'It's been the most liberating thing and the most amazing thing for all actors all over the world. Earlier, we had to kind of fit into specific boxes, and there was a formula, a look, a style for the kind of thing you had to do. Today, thanks to streaming, we can explore characters in a very different way and go into much more depth, and it is a fantastic platform to showcase all kinds of things like long‑form storytelling. ' Abhishek Bachchan finds darker shades on streaming Abhishek Bachchan's career has had its highs and lows, but it was OTT that gave him the chance to lead darker, more layered stories. His turn in 'Breathe: Into the Shadows' revealed a complex, conflicted side that audiences hadn't seen before. He followed it with political satire in 'Dasvi' and the recent 'Kalidhar Lapata', proving he could move between genres with ease. At the India Today Conclave, Abhishek had said, 'When OTT platforms came into being, everybody was accessible to anybody at the push of a button. We have a larger audience now and better reach. You can watch shows in every language, be in Indian or foreign. There is a huge appetite for Indian story telling. Good content will always work no matter the medium… Fortunately, digital platforms do not put out numbers. It keeps the focus on content. We have become far too obsessed about collections and money as opposed to the content.' Shefali Shah proved every character can be a hero Of course, the OTT reinvention isn't just for male stars. Shefali Shah's Emmy‑winning 'Delhi Crime' proved that streaming can deliver powerful, women‑led stories without the pressure of opening‑day numbers. Drawing comparisons between theatrical release and OTT, she told ETimes, Your film is not just dictated by the box office collection over the weekend. It's not dictated by stars. Even if doesn't do well at the box office, it still has an opportunity to prosper on OTT. Earlier, there was this hero and heroine, but on OTT, there is no such restriction. Every character is a hero or heroine in its place. Shefali Shah, Actress Why streaming gives actors a fresh, creative life OTT doesn't care if you were a superstar in 2002 or an unknown theatre actor, if your story hooks viewers, you win. Puneet Issar explained, 'There are matured subjects, matured scripts. People get to explore different dimensions of human experience through these stories… An actor is an actor, you perform. Whether it's on television, YouTube, film, or a live stage, the essence of acting stays the same. On OTT, you might keep it low‑key and internal, but it's still about delivering the performance… You must keep updating yourself. If you don't, you'll be left behind. Reinventing yourself is not an option, it's a necessity.' A new kind of stardom is here to stay OTT has erased the old boundaries between 'film actors' and 'TV actors'. Today, it's about impact, not format. You could be in a small‑town crime drama or a sci‑fi thriller. If people are clicking 'next episode', you're a star.
NDTV
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
How A Stunt By Amitabh Bachchan Going Wrong On Coolie Set Left Him "Clinically Dead"
New Delhi: In 1982, actor Amitabh Bachchan suffered a near-fatal injury on the sets of Coolie during the shooting of an action scene in Bengaluru. What Happened A mistimed punch during a fight sequence with actor Puneet Issar led to severe internal injuries, which left Amitabh Bachchan 'clinically dead' for a brief period. The incident shocked the entire nation and had a lasting impact on both actors involved. In an earlier interview with Digital Commentary, Puneet Issar opened up about how the incident changed the course of his career and life. "People were quite scared of me after that incident. They said he is an 8th-degree black belt holder. People created theories and assumptions. They said, 'Agar itna halka punch bruised Amitabh Bachchan so badly then....(what if he uses all his potential)," he said. The accident left Puneet jobless for nearly six years, and he recalled how difficult it was to find work again. He added, "That was maybe my churning period. It made me a better actor and human being." Puneet also said the incident taught him who his real friends were. "Irrespective of the phase, people learn a lot. I learnt to be patient and humble. One second changed my life from a 21-year-old who was signed as the main villain against Amitabh Bachchan, had 10 films in his kitty to someone who suddenly lost all his films. People suddenly forgot that I was a Gold Medalist from actor's studio and a trained artist. I was a professor of language and diction. All this vanished, I suddenly became a 'fighter'. From then, I only received such roles, and to make ends meet I had to take that up. I was married after all." Puneet Issar, who later gained fame for playing Duryodhana in BR Chopra's Mahabharat, said the Coolie incident made him stronger. "Bad times will come, but I couldn't afford to lose my focus", he said. What Did Amitabh Bachchan Say About The Incident Amitabh Bachchan, too, has spoken about the incident in his blog. Describing the critical moments after the injury, he wrote: "I went into almost a haze and a coma-like situation. Within five days of coming into Breach Candy, I had another surgery and didn't come out of that one for a very, very long time and I was clinically dead for a couple of minutes. Then Dr Wadia, who looked after me and is an absolute life-saver, just said 'I'm going to take a last chance' and he started pumping cortisone/adrenaline injections into me one after another almost, 40 ampules of it, with the hope that something would happen and then I got revived."
News18
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Puneet Issar Reveals Jaya Bachchan's Reaction To Amitabh Bachchan's Near-Death Experience
Last Updated: Puneet Issar said Jaya Bachchan was very 'gracious' and "supportive" towards him. Amitabh Bachchan's near-death experience on the set of Coolie in 1982 remains one of Bollywood's most shocking moments. During a high-stakes action scene, Puneet Issar was supposed to throw a mock punch at Amitabh Bachchan. But things took a dangerous turn when Amitabh misjudged a leap and landed awkwardly on a table, suffering a life-threatening injury. Though he initially brushed it off, his condition quickly worsened, forcing doctors to perform an emergency surgery. During a recent chat with Siddharth Kannan, Puneet Issar recalled how Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan were gracious towards him and didn't hold any grudges. 'Mr Bachchan called me, he said, 'I want to meet Puneet'. I went to meet him and when I saw him in that state, I had tears in my eyes, thinking that all this has happened because of me. He told me, 'Puneet, it's not your fault. When we are doing action, this kind of stuff happens,'" he recalled. 'In that state, he got up, put his arm around my neck and took me to the gate of Breach Candy, where the press was stationed and dropped me till there so people don't think that he has any hard feelings towards Puneet. That's the greatness of Bachchan saab," he said. In the same chat, he also recalled Jaya Bachchan's reaction to the incident and said that she was very 'gracious" and 'supportive" towards him. 'Amazing, what a lady," he said and added, 'They are associated with films. They know that it is not anyone's fault; it just happened." Despite following the scene's choreography, Puneet Issar faced severe backlash. Amitabh, however, held no grudge, comforting Puneet Issar and reassuring him it was just an accident. Yet, the damage was done — Puneet Issar was almost blacklisted by the industry, losing out on several projects and facing years of struggle, which took a toll on both him and his family. In a recent chat with Digital Commentary, Puneet recalled how he was jobless for nearly six years as people refused to work with him. Puneet issar never worked with Amitabh Bachchan after Coolie. He, however, went on to share screen space with Amitabh Bachchan's son Abhishek Bachchan in his debut film Refugee. First Published:
India.com
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
'I was paid to kill...', This villain was accused of killing Amitabh Bachchan, his career was ruined in a moment, his name is...
Amitabh Bachchan was the victim of a fatal accident on the sets of Manmohan Desai's film 'Coolie'. He was shooting an action sequence with Puneet Issar. After this incident, Amitabh Bachchan's condition became very bad, and he had to be hospitalized for a few days. In a recent interview, Puneet said that at that time, he had received death threats, and he was accused of being paid to kill Amitabh Bachchan. Puneet Issar also told that after the incident on the sets of 'Coolie', he was fired from many projects. After this, the actor started working as a martial arts trainer to make his living. Was money given to kill Amitabh Bachchan? During a conversation on Siddharth Kannan's YouTube channel, Puneet Issar said, 'Someone said that I have been paid to kill Bachchan sahab. Some opposition stars have paid the money. People were publishing false things at that time. Someone even wrote that Puneet Issar claims that he can run faster than a train, so people kept saying whatever came to their mind.' People used to call and threaten to kill me Puneet Issar said that he had received many threatening phone calls. He said, 'People used to call at home and say that they will not spare you, they will kill you. I did not do anything intentionally. It just happened, it was just an accident.' When he was asked if he was removed from other projects at that time, Puneet Issar said, 'People started distancing themselves from me. They said that this has hurt someone, the star of our film might feel bad.' Was thrown out of many films Puneet said that he was thrown out of 7-8 films and had no work, but he had to make a living. He recalled that from 1982 to 1988, until he got the role of Duryodhan in Mahabharata, he used to do small films, take speech classes and train people in martial arts. The incident happened during the shoot in 1982 Let us tell you that in the year 1982, Amitabh Bachchan was seriously injured on the sets of 'Coolie', after which he was admitted to the hospital for several months. After this accident in Bangalore, his condition deteriorated a lot, due to which he was shifted to Mumbai. There came a time when he was declared clinically dead, but fortunately, he recovered and was discharged from the hospital after a few months.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Puneet Issar reveals he received threatening calls after Amitabh Bachchan's 'Coolie' accident: ‘People said I was paid to kill him'
Actor Puneet Issar recently opened up about the turbulent phase he experienced after a tragic accident involving megastar Amitabh Bachchan on the set of Coolie in 1982. Issar became an unexpected target of public outrage as people panicked and began praying for Amitabh's recovery. Puneet Issar opens up about public backlash for Amitabh Bachchan 's accident on Coolie set In an interview with Siddharth Kannan on his YouTube channel, Puneet Issar revealed the extent of the backlash he faced. Though the incident was an unfortunate accident during a stunt sequence, the actor recalled that many media narratives and public speculation theories claimed he had been paid to kill Big B on set. 'Someone said that I have been paid to kill Bachchan. They said that some star who is in the opposition… people were printing lies then. Someone wrote that Puneet Issar claims that he can run faster than a train, so people were saying whatever they wanted,' Issar shared. Puneet Issar on social isolation and fighting the battle against Covid-19 Puneet Issar used to get threatening calls He also recalled receiving threatening phone calls that made his life difficult. 'People would call me at the house and say, 'We will not leave you, we will kill you,'' he said. Puneet emphasised that he had not done anything intentionally and that it was purely an accident on set. Puneet Issar about losing out on roles Issar's career took a major hit during this period. Producers distanced themselves, and offers dried up. 'People wanted to avoid me. They said he has hurt someone, our film's star might feel bad. News spreads like wildfire so it was blown out of proportion that he is a black belt in martial arts, he is tough, he can really hurt people, let's cast him in a friend's role, not in a villain's role. Such chatter used to happen,' he recounted. He was removed from around 7–8 films and had to find alternative means of survival. From 1982 to 1988, he focused on conducting speech classes, working in smaller films, and training others in martial arts. It wasn't until he was cast as Duryodhan in the TV epic Mahabharat that he made a notable comeback.
