With Crime Beat, Saba Azad has had a taste of the adrenaline-filled days of crime reporters. “It was electrifying to do this,” exclaims the actor, who plays an investigative journalist in the Sudhir Mishra and Sanjeev Kaul-directed web series. Through the show that also stars Saqib Saleem, and Rahul Bhat, Azad says she has got a peek into the demanding world of journalism. “What all it takes for a story and a byline to make it to the front page! From the crime happening to when it reaches the page, the journey is full of obstacles. There is a stringer, reporters after reporters, the police, then dealing with the red tape, [it’s endless]. Four people can have different angles on the same story, and whose angle will get picked up is interesting,” she smiles.
While the Zee5 series sees her as a reporter, Azad, as a musician and an actor, has always been on the other side of the journalist-celebrity equation. How does she view her relationship with the media? “I am a private person and socially awkward. So, if paps happen to be there, I may be a little awkward, but I also appreciate the fact that they are trying to put food on their table. I only have respect for people who do their job. There are people who are consuming that kind of content, so [the paps] need to create that content. So, my relationship with the press has been quite peaceful,” she states.
Since making her film debut with Dil Kabaddi in 2008, Azad has been seen on and off in films and web shows, juggling them with her music career. Her acting career got a boost when she played a prominent role in Rocket Boys (2022). Last year, the actor-musician hit headlines when she stated that many filmmakers assumed she didn’t want to work because she is Hrithik Roshan’s partner. Asked how she feels about her work today since she has featured in several projects, she reflects, “The pandemic was the turning point for me. During that time, I did two OTT shows and got cast for Rocket Boys. The lockdown slowed everyone down so that they could look outside. Even the casting directors thought, ‘We can look at all the other actors around as well.’ OTT entertainment opened the floodgates. All those who aren’t mainstream actors or are slotted in the character actor category, a lot of theatre actors, got noticed. I am happy with the kind of work I have now. I’ve tried my best to do projects that are different. I’m finally in a phase of my career where I am feeling some sort of fulfillment and being able to apply myself as an actor.”
There is no denying that digital entertainment has changed the content landscape in India. However, filmmaker Kiran Rao recently stated that the Indian OTT’s “golden age” was over and that the “bubble has burst” given the dip in the audience’s interest towards the streaming platforms. Azad has an optimistic view. “I’m not aware about the viewership, but for actors, writers and directors, OTT has opened up avenues that weren’t available earlier. Talented writers, actors and directors, who perhaps were not getting [opportunities], are being able to tell alternative stories. If a show is good, there are viewers as well. While there is an overflow of content and it’s overwhelming to decide what to watch, the good shows invariably rise. You can separate the good from the not-so-good. The speed at which the viewers are consuming content today is unlike any other time in history. So, I don’t believe viewership has gone down. It has been great for the creative community, especially in cinema, to find an outlet to their creativity and not be stifled by box-office numbers.”
After Crime Beat, Azad will be seen in Anurag Kashyap’s yet-untitled film that stars Sanya Malhotra and Bobby Deol. Her excitement about the project is evident as she says, “We’ve finished shooting it. It should hopefully be released sometime this year. I’m delighted to be a part of it.”