How would you feel if you were a doctor and your husband and kids are held hostage and you are asked to kill the chief minister while performing his surgery? Of course, it can be a weird situation for anyone to kill an innocent person to save one’s family. But this is the plot of the upcoming digital entertainment platform Hotstar’s special upcoming web series, Hostages.

Directed by Sudhir Mishra, the show’s cast includes Tisca Chopra, Ronit Roy, Parvin Dabbas, Ashim Gulati, Dalip Tahil and Mohan Kapoor.

During the promotion of the show in Delhi,  actor Ronit Roy spoke to The Statesman about the show and his take on online content.

Will you share your views about the show and your role?

The show is an adaption of an Israeli show by the same name – Hostages. The plot of the show is around the family of Dr Meera Anand, whose family is held hostage in the show. The next day she has to operate upon the CM, but she is told that if she wishes to save her family then she has to make the operation unsuccessful. This is just the central plot of the show, but it contains many twists and turns. I am playing the role of a cop.

How did this show happen?

Usually, I accept roles that are challenging. The story line should be gripping. I also look at makers and co-stars of the show. I found everything in this show, and hence I took this role.

Since it is an Israeli show, what changes have you made?

It’s pretty much the same thing. They had this show in their language and their own people. We are also making the same thing but in our language and with our own actors. For example the movie Arjun Reddy is famous down South but not in the North. Here, it is being made again in the name of Kabir Singh, with Shahid Kapoor in the lead. The same is the case here. In this sort of situation, Dr Meera has to choose between her family and profession; if such a situation comes across you, what will you do? God forbid, this ever happens to me or anybody. You can’t decide as it depends on the situation at that time. The answers can be diverse hence it is a personal choice that one makes.

Are you people planning to have second season?

Let’s see what happens. At least let the first episode come. The rest we’ll see; if the response is good we might consider making a second season, for it has been written down already.

Since you have been working in this field for years, on what basis you choose your roles?

I feel this field is vast and still has a lot to be explored by me. As far as choosing a role is concerned, it should be challenging and make me work. For any show, the producer is more like a father to us, whereas the director is the mother, who takes care of everything and guides you. Hence I look forward to a harmonious family while choosing a role.

Web series are getting popular nowadays, so how do you see their future?

The future is going to be bright as far as I think, for everybody is making something or the other and it’s still in the nascent stage. In the coming years, it can emerge more clearly as the dust settles. So when this happens a few might come on top and it doesn’t necessarily have to be international ones. We Indians can make good stuff too. Likewise, in China our movies are doing wonders. So I think we can further keep up with the good work.

Do you think there should be some censorship on online content?

It’s true that some content, nowadays, need some censorship but I don’t think that I am eligible enough to answer a question on censorship. I am just an actor.