Ali Asgar: “I have played drag characters on TV, while OTT is more in the realism zone”

Actor-comedian Ali Asgar has been in the entertainment industry for very nearly 35 years now. After being in movies, TV, and on stage, the comedian is yet to tap the digital front. Ask him what’s keeping him away from the OTT space, and he cites his on-screen comic image as the explanation. “My image of a comedian has become too strong. So, I feel makers are not able to see me in any other light. I have played drag characters on TV, while OTT is more in the realism zone,” Asgar elaborates.

An actor of his experience feeling stereotyped is something one should worry about. however, that doesn’t influence Asgar. “It doesn’t bother me. I go with the flow, I can’t explain to people, tell them that, ‘I am versatile, take me in your projects’. I am content with what I have done,” he adds.

Having said that, Asgar also mentions that the entertainer in him desires to be part of exciting projects on OTT. “I want to do it. When I see others (actors), I feel even I want to do it. When I see a role, I often think how I would have done it. I’m sure every actor goes through that. But something exciting should come. Not that I didn’t get offers, but whatever I got wasn’t exciting,” he shares.

Coming to TV, Asgar has been absent from the small screen too. “TV mein aisa kuch aaya nahin. There were a few cameos, which I said no to. I’m not getting what I want. I’ve been in the industry for so long, I want to reinvent. But I’m not in a hurry,” he explains.

Asgar adds that he doesn’t wish to do a TV show just for the sake of it. “When a show gets shut, the actors are blamed. Ali ka show band hogaya. Then the tag of hit and flop gets attached to you. So it’s better I wait for the right project,” he ends.