Shaalien Malhotra on Why It Has Become Tougher for TV Actors: ‘Now the Audiences Watch a Show Critically’ (EXCLUSIVE)

The television industry has become far more unforgiving for actors, believes actor Shaalien Malhotra. In an exclusive conversation with Variety India, he opens up about how audience expectations have evolved with greater exposure to different forms of storytelling, making it difficult for performers to get away with weak performances.

Malhotra, who is currently associated with “108 Base Hospital Uri,” has played several Army officers across shows including “Koi Laut Ke Aaya Hai” and “Ziddi Dil Maane Na.” But while his military roles remain a recurring part of his career, his larger observation about the television industry is that actors today are working in a far more competitive environment.

“Suddenly, there was a time when every casting was done on the basis of numbers. It is happening till date. Your Instagram following is important. But that does not define an actor,” Malhotra says.

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According to him, the biggest change has come from the exposure audiences now have to content from across the world. Viewers are no longer limited to Indian television and films, with OTT platforms, international shows, Korean dramas, Turkish shows and vertical formats giving them access to a much wider range of performances and storytelling styles. “The audience has become intelligent… I remember there was a time in our industry when every film was working. And now the audiences watch a film or show critically. So imagine the level of intelligence that has grown.” Malhotra says, adding that if an actor does not do justice to a role, audiences are quick to notice it.

Reflecting on his own early career, Malhotra admits that the industry was more forgiving when he was starting out. He reveals he was still learning as an actor and would sometimes take several months on a show to fully understand and settle into his character. “What happened to me at the start of my career was I took four to five months to understand acting and settle into my first show (“Arjun” in 2012). I wasn’t a very learned actor back then,” he adds.

But according to Malhotra, that kind of learning curve is harder to accommodate now. “The industry was a little forgiving then. Now, it’s not. You don’t know how to act, you won’t get another show,” he said.

The responsibility of proving oneself early on in a show also comes from the advent of finite series, believes Malhotra. A finite series is a television show designed to run for a fixed number of episodes or seasons. When asked if the popularity of such series is beneficial to him, he says, “I can't say if it is. There was a time when shows continued for 10 to 15 years and the actors became household names. The love you receive after being part of someone's life for 10 years is huge. Imagine watching a show daily from when you are 15 to when you are 26. That investment is pure love, especially today when people move on quickly. As an actor, knowing the beginning and end also helps you plan your character arc. Sadly, many actors in television aren't even familiar with that concept anymore.”

Malhotra’s comments on the changing expectations for actors come as he returns to the Army genre with “108 Base Hospital Uri.” But while the uniform has been a recurring part of his screen identity, he thinks he no longer views the association as typecasting. His father served in the Indian Air Force, while his cousins are in the Indian Army, giving him a personal connection to the armed forces.

Recalling something his father used to tell him, Malhotra said, “You don’t choose the Army, the Army chooses you.” He believes that playing an Army officer requires more than simply wearing the uniform. For him, discipline, honesty and respect for the uniform are central to portraying such characters authentically. “There are very few people who can do justice to the uniform. Having said that, I am not taking anything away from the people who have worn the uniform as actors before. But it is important to understand the respect that comes along with that uniform,” he shares.

In “108 Base Hospital Uri,” Malhotra plays Teghbeer Singh, a highly trained officer who is called upon when situations appear impossible. He describes the character as someone who is equally admired by his seniors and juniors, while also being able to read a room and bring some humor into tense situations. “He has the respect of the seniors and the love of the juniors. He walks into the room and you cannot not notice him. He walks in with a lot of authority,” Malhotra reveals.

On working with Erica Fernandes and Gashmeer Mahajani, his co-stars in the series, Malhotra quips, “There was a lot of laughter on sets. You would be amazed to witness that these same guys are so serious onscreen.”