Lokesh Batta REVEALS he's focussing on OTT and Films now; Says 'In Television, you don’t get much time to prepare for the character'

by Priya Jadhav

Actor Lokesh Batta, known for his roles in Dabangg 3, Naagin 6, Udariyaan, and more, took on the role of a police officer for the first time in Watcho Exclusives' Oh My Wife! He played the role of  Inspector Ranbir in Oh My Wife!, where he takes on the investigation of a high-profile murder case. Lokesh recently revealed why he is now prioritising his involvement in OTT and films in his career.

"I’m only focussing on OTT and Films right now, as I feel that when you work for Television you don’t get much time to prepare for the character. There’s no denying that TV makes you work like a rocket, and has its own set of advantages. Having said that, I like working in the OTT space more.  Firstly, it's vast, and secondly, it allows me to explore my creative side. For instance, if you’re working on an OTT project, you can gather ideas from various places, however, it is not the same in TV, which gets monotonous after a time, and limits you to family dramas. I believe OTT and films give actors their pehchaan (identity), the recognition and due that they seek. Characters in web series and films are often remembered by viewers. So yes, for now, my focus is OTT and films," explained Lokesh Batta.

Oh My Wife!, streaming on Watcho also stars Mudasir Bhat, Sneha Singh Sisodia, and Deepanshi N. Shakya in pivotal roles. Sharing his experience of wearing the police uniform for the series Lokesh shared, "It was a surreal feeling to play a police officer in Watcho Exclusives Oh My Wife!. You’re filled with a sense of pride and strength as soon as you wear the police uniform. You feel calm, composed, and tough to tackle all the situations that come your way. While I’m unable to put the feeling in words, it was just like ‘Waah! Abhi mein Police Officer Hoon!’ Experiencing such a powerful feeling as an actor is beyond explanation and I consider myself fortunate to have gotten this opportunity. As an actor, I feel blessed and privileged to portray so many different roles in one lifetime, that I wouldn’t have been able to if I were doing a regular 9-5 job."   

Lokesh will be seen playing an Air Force marshal in Siddharth Anand's upcoming film Fighter alongside Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone. Apart from this, he is all set to feature alongside comedian-actor Krushna Abhishek in Pura Glass Pani, a romantic thriller.