The New Leading Men Of OTT Are Reshaping What Masculinity Looks Like On Screen
Five of OTT’s most recognised male actors pose for us
With performances that resonate, these actors are redefining the idea of a leading man on India's streaming platforms. They set the stage for this style story and a conversation on how image is changing.
Ritwik Bhowmik, 33
Ritwik Bhowmik can't end a day without a story. A shoot may wrap at midnight, but he’ll still ask: what’s in theatres, what’s streaming? For him, consuming stories isn’t a hobby—they’re fuel.
The rising star, who broke out with Bandish Bandits (2020) on Amazon Prime and was more recently seen in Netflix’s Khakee: The Bengal Chapter, keeps his imagination on standby. “As Naseeruddin Shah always told us during workshops, imagination is our strongest weapon as actors. So, I keep it oiled and ready.”
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Bhowmik, a Bengaluru boy, began acting on stage at age 9. In 2017, he landed a part in The Viral Fever’s Office vs. Office; two years later came the Hindi-Bengali film Dhuusar, directed by a classmate from Anupam Kher’s Acting Studio. But it was Bandish Bandits that put him on the map. “I brought a part of my life into him. My obsession with craft collided with his obsession with music. I can’t think of anyone else playing Radhe—he’s another personality of mine,” he says.
Since then, he has played pivotal roles in shows and films including The Whistleblower, Modern Love Mumbai and Maja Ma. “OTT is constantly evolving. It isn’t about image or personality anymore, it’s about craft. I can’t place myself somewhere today and expect to stay there tomorrow. The audience only celebrates honesty.”
The idea of the ‘hero’ has changed too. Growing up, he wanted to be one; today, he prefers the word ‘actor’. “There’s no such thing as just a hero. The image of men on screen evolves every two decades, alongside society, reflecting shifting emotions—anger, romance, vulnerability. I feel the next decade will be about softer men, with a heart of gold, who want to do right, not just chase what they desire. Cinema reflects society and vis-à-vis,” he explains.
That same grounded outlook extends to his style. “I’m a homebody. At home it’s pyjamas. Outside it’s jeans and a T-shirt or a shirt. Comfort is everything,” he says, adding, “When I’m working, I experiment through characters. As a person, I keep it simple.”
When it comes to fashion, he trusts his stylist; when it comes to work, he trusts his imagination to carry him further.
Ishwak Singh, 35
One thing's for sure. Ishwak Singh knows how to listen, be it to the script, the stage or the people he’s playing. Before Paatal Lok (Amazon Prime Video) made him a widely recognised face, Singh spent nearly a decade on stage, building a quiet but meaningful body of work. “It wasn’t very noticeable,” says Singh, who played Imran Ansari on the show, “but I had the opportunity to collaborate with some great directors and perform in remarkable plays. That had been my forte until then.”
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With Paatal Lok, it’s hard to look past Jaideep Ahlawat’s talismanic Hathi Ram Chaudhary, but Singh manages to hold his own rather spectacularly, before his character’s tragic end in season two. “I drew a lot from the script and reached out to people in the police force to understand the nuances of the role,” he says of his character, Imran Ansari. “I was able to unlock a sense of authenticity in my performances, and I think that’s what made it unique.”
Since then, Singh has become the kind of actor who elevates every scene he’s in. Whether opposite Ahlawat in Paatal Lok, Jim Sarbh in Rocket Boys or Aparshakti Khurana in Berlin, his performances carry a quiet integrity. “A lot of it comes from craft—characterisation, observation and building a role,” he says. “But at the same time, there’s definitely a part of me in it. I do tap into my own experiences, my belief system and even the person I aspire to be at times.”
He’s not chasing the spotlight, but it finds him anyway. He once topped a ‘Most Desirable’ list ahead of Ishaan Khatter, Rohit Saraf and Shubman Gill. “It’s a very humbling experience,” he says. “It keeps me in check.”
Style-wise, Singh is a bit of a chameleon. “I have a huge appetite for fashion,” he says. Between the inevitable classic v/s trendy battle, he finds himself “inching more towards trendy fashion and styling as well”. What’s a failsafe look? “It used to be the good old black and white—classic, chic and something you can never go wrong with. Now, I like layering, throwing in some colours and experimenting with textures and combinations. I love wearing boots, pairing T-shirts with pants, and mixing things up.”
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OTT is a space flush with opportunities, but the concept of leading men (and women) is on its way out. And Singh’s not worried about building a niche or claiming leading-man status. “There’s a certain ease among actors today—an inherent faith in one’s own ability, craft and process,” he says. “For me, the end is not something I dwell on much. There’s only so much you can do, so it’s better not to fret over what’s beyond your control and instead enjoy the process.”
Udit Arora, 32
Udit Arora is honest to his craft. Forged by years of stage and street performances, he credits nukkad nataks with teaching him how to embrace his craft and draw people in, while professional theatre instilled in him the discipline and consistency that continue to shape his work.
“Theatre has always been a great influence,” says Arora, most recently seen in Netflix’s The Royals. “It taught me discipline, and the value of repetition—doing something daily, working with a team. These are learnings I carry even now.”
Staying away from clichés, Arora says his style statement is about flexibility. “As actors, we have to be fluid, ready to take on different roles. In a way, we carry different personalities within us," he says. "So for me, style changes every day, but it’s also about being comfortable.”
Be it a rugged, cold killer from Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo (Jio Hotstar) or a suave, jet-black suit-clad founder and businessman in The Royals, Arora has adapted seamlessly to his roles and what they entail in terms of styling. “I think I read a quote from a Gary Oldman interview where he said he gets to understand most of his characters when he wears the clothes or costumes,” Arora explains, adding: “I feel as an actor, it’s very important what you wear, what it makes you feel and if it resonates with you.”
For Esquire India’s shoot, Arora slips into a suit from Onitsuka Tiger, balancing class, charm and an endearing nonchalance. “I love layering, though it’s hard since Mumbai’s mostly humid. Whenever the weather allows, I don’t miss the chance,” he says, adding, “Watches aren’t my thing, but I’m a big fan of good shoes.”
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Arora’s next big role—a Netflix film directed by Rahul Dholakia—has him starring alongside Saif Ali Khan in a political period drama set around India’s first elections. He stays tightlipped about his character’s look, saying, “It’s different, something I’ve never done before.”
New role. New costumes. But the essence of Udit Arora remains.
Vihaan Samat, 29
Vihaan Samat belongs to a new generation of actors who are gradually, but decisively, reshaping what it means to be a leading man. His characters don’t roar or dominate the screen through sheer bravado—they pull you in with their vulnerability, hesitations and the emotional cracks that make them human.
“What makes a story human is the vulnerability of its characters,” Samat says. “I’m just grateful that I happen to be an actor at a time when the business is gravitating towards exploring the depth of human nature.”
The streaming era has given him a fertile playground. Subtle performances built on restraint, silence and inner conflict are not just tolerated, they’re celebrated. For Samat, the craft lies in finding the humanity in those quiet moments. “It’s all there in the script. I try to dig deep into what makes these characters human. Sometimes I work from the inside out, sometimes the outside in. Hair, make-up, even a costume—all of it goes into shaping a character.”
His transformative streak came into sharp focus in The Royals on Netflix, the biggest project of his career so far. “It helped me identify myself in the grand scheme of things,” he says. “I really enjoy collaborating with new people; that experience was incredibly rewarding.”
Across his growing body of work—the anxious self-doubt of Eternally Confused and Eager for Love, the sweetness of Mismatched, the ambition of Call Me Bae (Amazon Prime)—he’s mapped out an unexpectedly layered portrait of the modern Indian man.
Off-screen, Samat is just as deliberate, though never performative. “I have to be my authentic self. Whenever I dress up for events, I don’t listen to anyone,” he says. He describes his style as “traditional with a modern twist,” unapologetically his own. Grooming, however, is sacred. “Oh, I just bought a new trimmer,” he says with a laugh. “Beard grooming, retinoids, hyaluronic acid serums, sunscreen—when you are in this industry, you have to put your best foot forward.”
Looking ahead, he wants to keep straddling both worlds: the vulnerable everyman and the larger-than-life hero. Historical figures like Nehru or Shah Jahan are on his dream list, but for now, he’s focused on Call Me Bae season two and the stealth revolution he’s helping script on screen.
Pavail Gulati, 37
In a world where the idea of the leading man is constantly evolving on streaming platforms, Pavail Gulati has steadily carved a niche. He’s not the chest-thumping archetype of old-school Bollywood, but someone more layered: emotionally uncertain, flawed, restrained, and yes, vulnerable.
“I’m drawn to emotionally open characters because in real life, I’m not very open,” admits Gulati, who plays ACP Rohan D’Silva, a cop caught between duty and emotional turmoil in his latest Netflix release, Deva. “It takes me a lot of time to show my vulnerabilities. So acting becomes therapeutic—it’s the space where I get to let that side of me out.”
This openness has synced perfectly with the streaming boom where OTT platforms have given rise to stories that thrive on nuance, where viewers are invested in characters who feel lived-in rather than larger-than-life. Gulati’s 2022 show Faadu—A Love Story (Sony LIV) still gets him messages from fans today. “I wonder if that kind of show would even have been made without OTT,” he says. “It’s heart-warming and surprising that people are still watching it.”
What makes his performances stand out is the lens through which he approaches characters. “I don’t see people as good or bad. There’s a duality in all of us, and I try to find that balance in every role.”
Off-screen, Gulati’s restraint translates into a style that’s low-key yet effective. Left to himself, he’d live in a black tee and jeans, but stylists nudge him into sharper silhouettes—and he admits they’re usually right. He likes fitted clothes, wears his sister’s gifted reddish-pink watch often, and owns around 50 pairs of sneakers, with Air Jordans being his most recent purchase. Grooming, though, stays minimal: two showers a day, some dermatologist-prescribed creams and the same Bleu de Chanel fragrance he’s sworn by for years.
Despite the new visibility, he guards his private life closely. “I don’t overshare. I’d rather enjoy the moment than package it for social media,” he says. It’s that balance—the everyday man with an evolving screen presence—that makes Gulati the kind of leading man audiences want today: authentic, vulnerable and magnetic.
Credits:
Photographs by Arsh Sayed
Styled by Komal Shetty
Hair & Grooming: Claire Carmelina Gil (Anima Creatives)
Grooming (Ritwik): Hamid Khan
Styling Assistant: Ifrah Kadir
Talent Management: Cedo Talent Management (Ritwik Bhowmik), Brand & Buzz PR (Ishwak Singh), Coevo Canvas (Udit Arora), Collective Artists Network (Vihaan Samat), Communique Films PR (Pavail Gulati)
Bookings Editor: Varun Shah
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