Exclusive! Arya on winning the OTTplay Award: For me, this award is as special as the film Sarpatta Parambarai

Acclaimed filmmaker Pa Ranjith's Sarpatta Parambarai, which dropped directly on Amazon Prime Video last year, was one of the most intriguing films that was released in 2021. Arya, who played the lead in the movie, had garnered appreciation from several quarters for his portrayal as a dedicated boxer in the film which is set against the backdrop of north Madras in the 70s.

The actor won his latest accolade under the Best Actor (Jury) category, and spoke in detail about how special the recognition meant to him and recollected his journey with the film in a chat with us.  

He opens up, "For me, this award is as special as the movie Sarpatta Parambarai. We didn't have the required budget initially to make the film. Later, my director Ranjith and I pumped money into the project. He completely believed in his vision and strived to bring it on screen and trusted me with the protagonist's role."

According to him, the satisfying part of being a part of the movie is that every character in it was written and performed well. "Ranjith sir created a never-before-seen world in the film and characters that appeared even in a couple of scenes stood out. All of them got recognized; in fact, celebrated, is the right word. The response for the movie was overwhelming," he recollected.

Arya says that the success of Sarpatta Parambarai had taken him to the next level on both personal and professional level. It actually motivated him to take more risks and be part of novel attempts.  

"I realized I'm more open to challenging characters and unique subjects after the recognition I received for the movie. I'm now looking forward to stories that are more creative and original in every sense. My confidence as an actor, too, witnessed a considerable spike after being associated with Sarpatta Parambarai."

The actor believes that OTT platforms have revolutionized storytelling and that this is the best time for movie buffs, filmmakers and actors. "Today, people have unlimited access to series, films, shows and documentaries from across the world. The OTT avenues have become a one-stop destination for incredible content and has become a boon for film lovers and those in the entertainment business," he notes.

Arya reveals that Game of Thrones, Money Heist and Squid Game are his favourite OTT series. He says, "What made me impressed was the out-of-the-box ideas and unique presentation which are common among these three projects. These series have conflict points which we never could have imagined a while ago. The success of these projects across the world have also proved that there isn't any language barrier."