Paatal Lok creator Sudip Sharma and Jaideep Ahlawat calls social media obsession ‘ridiculous’: ‘Thankful I found work without many followers’

When streaming platforms entered the Indian market, both filmmakers and audiences had high expectations. They were seen as a paradise for independent films, offering a platform to unique voices that often struggle to find space in mainstream cinema. However, over time, things didn’t pan out as envisioned. Recently, Paatal Lok creator Sudip Sharma and actor Jaideep Ahlawat addressed this issue, admitting that Indian streaming platforms have failed to live up to their potential. They highlighted how the overload of information is hindering the emergence of distinctive voices and expressed concern over a troubling trend where actors submit their portfolios with their follower counts.

Speaking On the Hollywood Reporter India, Sudip said, “We live in the times of information overload. We are like hamsters on the wheel, both the audience and the makers. We see something and we think of writing or creating the same thing. We don’t think about the stories that we want to tell and till the time that personal touch isn’t there, what we call voice of an artiste, you aren’t going to standout or tell stories that are going to connect and last the test of time.”

He added, “There is a constant urge to create and get attention. It is there at the level streamers, filmmakers and the audience. It’s an anxiety about the time we live in.”

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Jaideep added to the discussion, “Everyone wants to be famous and I am thankful I started getting work before this culture because I don’t even have those many followers.”

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Calling the social media culture ‘ridiculous,’ Sudip elaborated, “Now when you get profile of actors its comes with how many followers they have and it’s always a dangerous sign. Just because they chose to put that, it’s really sad. While pitching a show to streamers if I have to show that I got these many votes on IMDB or these many views on my trailer, its really ridiculous. It really has to be on the quality of the script that you are pitching.”

Paatal Lok Season 2 is set to release on Prime Video on January 17.