Why TV actor Nyrraa Banerji started doing micro-dramas
What's the story
Actor Nyrraa Banerji is exploring the world of micro-dramas with her latest project, Prem Katha. The show, streaming on Story TV, features her as a Gujarati don. In an interview with Hindustan Times, she opened up about the response to her character and initial hesitation toward vertical storytelling. She also discussed how this format is creating new opportunities for actors like herself.
Character reception
Response to her performance has been overwhelming
Banerji, who has over six million Instagram followers, said, "Fans have really loved my new look because I have never really played something like this."
"I have never played a Gujarati character and that, too, a don. So they love the flamboyance and the look, and I have fallen in love with my role as well."
She added that her mother's praise for her performance was particularly meaningful to her.
Format transition
Initially, she was hesitant to do verticals
Banerji admitted she was initially hesitant about vertical dramas, having been used to traditional long-format storytelling. However, she eventually decided to give it a shot.
"Initially, I was hesitant to do verticals because I am used to seeing myself on a different screen size. But later on, I felt, why not join the trend?"
She added that the format has introduced her to several producers and directors while allowing her to experiment with different roles.
Industry shift
Why was she hesitant?
The actor revealed that the past two years had been particularly difficult as she struggled to understand why micro-dramas were taking precedence over other ventures.
"These two years were a little difficult for me because I wasn't able to understand why only micro dramas were happening, and other projects took a back seat."
A conversation with a director friend eventually helped her make up her mind.
Financial insight
'People are minting money...So let's earn some money also'
Banerji's director friend encouraged her to explore the format, telling her that the industry needed actors like her.
"Then I realized people are minting money, man. So let's earn some money also," she added.
"Every platform has a different kind of audience. Movies have a very different audience and verticals have their own audience, and it's a huge one."
She went on to compare the micro-drama boom with the early TikTok boom.