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Fan favourites vs Critics’ picks: Bridging the gap in OTT awards
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DESK
The OTT awards have become a reflection of both audience preferences and critical acclaim, yet a recurring question persists: how well do the choices of fans and critics align? Last year’s winners of the Blender’s Choice The Daily Star OTT and Digital Content Awards , like Afran Nisho and Mehazabien Chowdhury in the Popular category for Redrum , stood in contrast to Critic’s picks like Chanchal Chowdhury and Tasnia Farin for Karagar . This divergence highlights a nuanced distinction in the values audiences and critics hold dear.
This year’s nominations continue the conversation. In the Popular category, beloved stars like Mosharraf Karim ( Mohanagar 2 ), Ziaul Faruq Apurba ( Buker Moddhye Agun ) and Shamol Mawla ( The Silence ), among others, vie for the Best Actor title, while actresses like Azmeri Haque Badhan ( Guti ), Rafiath Rashid Mithila ( Myself Allen Swapan ) and Tama Mirza ( Friday ) dominate the spotlight.
On the critics’ end, Nasir Uddin Khan ( Myself Allen Swapan ) and Siam Ahmed ( Punormilone ) stand out among the male actors, with Azmeri Haque Badhan and Nazia Haque Orsha ( Jahan ) as strong contenders for Best Actress.
Popular selections reflect the audience’s emotional engagement, with crowd-pleasers like Mohanagar 2 and Myself Allen Swapan dominating the nominations in the Best Drama/Series category. Conversely, Critic’s Choice focuses on narrative depth and artistic integrity, spotlighting projects like Guti and Friday .
As OTT platforms expand their reach, bridging the gap between fan favourites and critics’ picks remains an intriguing observance—one that could redefine storytelling dynamics in Bangladesh’s digital entertainment scene.