Only Women Panel Explores the Changing Screens and the Journey of Television Actors from Television to OTT. A Mumbai discussion examines platforms, opportunities, television’s legacy, and challenges actors face as streaming reshapes entertainment careers today.

Mumbai, September 26, 2026: It was a packed house at Ginger Hotel, Vile Parle, on Saturday morning as actor Jaya Bhattacharya, Producer Karuna Samtani and Producer-Director-Screenwriter-Journalist Vinta Nanda came together for an engaging discussion on the changing entertainment landscape and the journey of television actors from Doordarshan to private television, cable and, finally, OTT and streaming platforms.

Titled “From Television to OTT Streaming: Are TV Actors Still Taken Seriously?”, the panel discussion was organised by Only Women, a think tank of senior women professionals, as part of its panel discussion series and moderated by Vidyottama Sharma, its Founder & CEO. The session was opened to members as well as select male and female guests, resulting in an informed and participative audience that contributed observations and questions throughout the discussion.

Opening The Conversation

Opening the conversation, Vidyottama traced the evolution of Indian television — from Doordarshan to the advent of private television and the subsequent rise of OTT platforms. She raised a key question: Has the emergence of newer platforms actually created fresh opportunities, or led instead to a new hierarchy in the industry? She also questioned whether television actors need to reinvent themselves to transition successfully to newer platforms, particularly at a time when many feel increasingly sidelined.

From The First Lady Of Television  

Karuna Samtani, the first Programming Head of India’s first private television channel — Zee Telefilms, brought a historical perspective to the discussion, tracing the gradual transition from Doordarshan to cable television, private television and OTT. She identified micro-dramas as a new and significant disruptor and pointed out that visibility has traditionally been an important factor in making actors stars.

According to Karuna, television was once a space where actors learned on the job and gradually built their identities, and many subsequently became influencers. With the growth of the television industry, however, serial production increasingly became factory-like, resulting, in her view, in a loss of individual identity for actors, writers and directors. She also emphasised that YouTube should not be overlooked, as increasing numbers of creative professionals are moving to the platform.  

Jaya Bhattacharya On Typecasting  

Actor Jaya Bhattacharya, who has worked across television, film and other formats, brought personal experience to the discussion. Speaking about the grit required to transition and survive across changing mediums, she recalled a period when she was repeatedly offered roles similar to Payal, her character in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.  

“I took a seven-year break,” she said, explaining that she could not continue playing the same kind of character.

Her experience highlighted that the challenge of being typecast is not exclusive to OTT; television itself can sometimes limit an actor’s identity and versatility. Jaya also spoke about the increasing practice of actors being expected to simply mouth lines, sometimes without adequate context or preparation — something she finds difficult as a serious actor.

Vinta Nanda On Talent And Mediums

Writer and filmmaker, Editor of The Daily Eye, Vinta Nanda offered a broader perspective, saying that talent will ultimately survive irrespective of the medium. She observed that crime and religion are likely to remain strong genres on streaming platforms, while strong stories and memorable characters can continue to work across platforms. “Demand drives what happens,” she said, adding that the various mediums will continue to coexist.

Vinta also emphasised the role television has played as a training ground for generations of actors. The discussion consequently moved beyond the television-versus-OTT debate to examine how different platforms are likely to coexist and evolve, and how actors, writers and other creative professionals can retain their identity and receive their due in the changing ecosystem.

The Business Of Transition

Vidyottama brought in the business dimension of the transition, examining the perception that OTT represents an upward move for television actors despite television having created some of India’s most recognisable faces. The panel explored what kind of reinvention, if any, is required for television actors to make a successful transition to newer platforms.

The discussion also looked at the convergence of platforms and the future of storytelling, with the panel agreeing that the entertainment ecosystem is likely to see multiple formats and platforms coexist, while audience demand, strong stories and memorable characters continue to influence what succeeds.

Only Women’s Growing Community

While delivering the Welcome Address, Aavrutti Sharma, Director of Only Women, took participants and speakers on a guided virtual tour of Only Women’s two-year journey, highlighting some of the community’s significant national and global associations and milestones.

Only Women is a curated community of senior women professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders across diverse fields, including corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, independent professions, academia, media and journalism, law and advocacy, medicine and healthcare, finance, architecture and interior design, advertising and communications, entertainment and the creative industries, among others.

Created by former journalist Vidyottama Sharma, Only Women has, in its two-year journey, built strategic associations with national and international bodies and created a growing professional community that brings together deep experience, expertise and perspectives from diverse disciplines and career journeys.

Beyond Networking

Its engagement goes beyond networking. Through expert conversations, panel discussions, workshops, roundtables, knowledge initiatives, shared experiences and curated interactions with accomplished professionals and leaders, Only Women creates spaces for intellectual stimulation, continuous learning, professional and personal development, leadership development, upskilling and meaningful collaboration.

The September 26 discussion was another such space — bringing together experienced voices from the entertainment industry with an audience willing to question, engage and examine how a rapidly changing media ecosystem is reshaping careers, identities and opportunities for those who create and perform on screen.

Voices Of The Attendees

“Be to Become” – that Karuna Samtani strongly emphasised is my take-home sentence. From Jaya I am taking back the importance of “Attitude of continuous learning” and from Vinta, the profound sentence – “Kuchh Bhi Khatam Nahin Hoga” - Satinder Kaur, Management Consultant, CEO & Founder, Skaur

It was truly interesting to hear the perspectives of the luminaries who addressed us. One thought that resonated strongly was that change is constant, and the ability to adapt is what enables us to remain relevant. We have ourselves witnessed the remarkable evolution of television since it first entered our lives. Today, the medium is facing perhaps its most challenging phase, with the rapid rise of OTT platforms and changing viewing habits. Yet, as Ms. Nanda so aptly reminded us, we hope television will reinvent itself once again, adapt to the changing times and continue to find its place in the future - Malini Agarwalla, Founder and Creative Director: Malaga Handbags and Accessories

What I summarised from the discussion: The size of the screen doesn’t determine the size of the talent. Television actors have been doing long-form storytelling before OTT made it fashionable. OTT has changed the perception of acting, but television has been producing performers for decades. Today the screen is changing but the audience is ultimately looking for one thing – a performance they believe - Sheetal Vidhani, Founder: Mer Konfekt

Budgets will continue to govern the entertainment sector, irrespective of the platform. Talent, however, will never go out of fashion – whether it is television, OTT or the emerging micro-drama format. Ultimately, the success of any series or film rests on the strength of its story and the depth with which its characters are written. Yet, the entertainment industry’s long-standing demand for industry status remains unfulfilled. At the same time, whether OTT platforms should be subject to the same regulatory framework as films and television remains an open and much-debated question - Sapna Srivastava, Editor, Realty+