Kay Kay Menon: OTT has revived viewers’ interest in me

With the growing popularity of OTT platforms in the country, the content being churned out for the medium has also multiplied, starting a conversation whether quality is being sacrificed in the race to be ahead in quantity. But actor Kay Kay Menon doesn’t see any red flag at the moment. Rather, he feels that the digital medium is full of exciting opportunities and has given actors like him their due.

“We all have seen what cinema went through in recent times, and theatrical releases still exist. Whatever has happened, cinema is thriving. So, it (the good and bad content) is a part and parcel of anything that we do, be it any medium,” says Menon, whose career has found a new lease of life through his work on web, especially the character of Himmat Singh from the Special Ops universe.

He believes that any medium can be misused, but as long as OTT makers are conscious of the content, then there’s nothing we should be afraid of. Here, the actor brings up the role the audience plays in maintaining the sanctity of the medium, calling them intelligent.

“You can’t bluff them by giving them a few dances here and there. You have to be very sure of the content that you are providing. That’s also because mass psychology doesn’t work here, which works for mainstream cinema. As a result, you will always find more good content on OTT,” adds the 55-year-old, who described OTT viewing as a novel reading individually.

“People watch content on OTT when they are settled with full focus and intelligence, who know what they want to watch and the type of content. That it helps us as actors,” says the Life in a… Metro actor.

But that doesn’t mean there won’t be any adulteration. “But people will reject them immediately. The audience has the button in their hands. More good content will be available at any point in time. On OTT, one can’t survive by producing less quality content,” he stresses.

New chapter of career

It has been almost three decades since Menon embarked on a journey to make a name in Indian showbiz, and has received recognition for performances in films Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Black Friday, Gulaal, Shaurya, Bheja Fry, Haider, and Baby — but he feels he is just starting to get his due — all thanks to the OTT.

On the web medium, he has proved his mettle with The Great Indian Dysfunctional Family, The Last Chapter, Ray and Special Ops, with fans calling him ‘desi Bond’ for his avatar as an agent, Himmat Singh.

“I have been in the industry for the last 26-27 years, and people who were four or five when my initial work was released, are adults. They are watching my work now. And it is quite a revelation for them that an actor can perform like this,” he says with amusement.

Further, he adds, “They go back and watch your work in retrospective. Even youngsters are watching shows, like Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story, and getting to know about your journey, and complimenting you, that ‘this actor has potential’,” adds the actor with a laugh.

And these are some of the instances through which he derives motivation. “The web platform has revived the interest of the audiences in actors like me and Manoj Bajpayee. And that’s such a good thing,” says the actor, who is enjoying exploring the digital world.

Next, he has a lot he is working on. “But I am not allowed to talk about it, I will talk about it once I get an official go ahead,” he wraps up.