Mumbai, April 07 (AHN) Actor Varun Badola has spoken about character artists finally getting recognition after the significant rise in OTT and social media.

Speaking exclusively to AHN, the 'Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand' actor said that there are several great actors who do not fit the conventional profile of a lead, and they are finally getting their due, thanks to OTT and social media.

Varun was asked, "You are a well-known name in television and have also worked in films. With the rise of social media and OTT platforms, even character artists are gaining popularity. Do you think this trend will continue?"

To this, the 'Saiyaara' actor said, "I think OTT platforms have played a significant role in this change. There are many talented actors who may not fit into conventional lead roles, and earlier, they did not receive the recognition they deserved. OTT has given them strong, meaningful roles because these shows are not entirely star-driven."

Talking about the impact of social media, Varun explained that even a small character becomes a household name with the help of reels and memes.

"Social media also contributes, as when a small character becomes popular, memes and reels amplify that recognition. But I believe such content only becomes popular when an actor is given a good opportunity in the first place, and OTT has provided exactly that," he went on to add.

Giving an example of Aditya Dhar and Ranveer Singh's "Dhurandhar", Varun said that a movie driven by concept does not depend on stars.

"The same shift is visible in films as well. For instance, a concept-driven film like Dhurandhar is not dependent on stars. That is the beauty of it. Actors like Rakesh Bedi are finally receiving the recognition they deserve, something they have waited for over the years. Even smaller characters in such films have become widely popular", he shared.