Vidya Malavade reveals why she stayed away from microdramas before her debut with ‘Scam 2024 – The Digital Arrest Story’

Mumbai: Actress Vidya Malavade, who is making her microdrama debut with ‘Scam 2024 – The Digital Arrest Story,' has opened up about what drew her to the format.

In an exclusive quote shared with IANS, the ‘Chak De! India’ actress stated that the story intrigued her and the medium’s close connection with audiences caught her attention. Speaking about her character and the relevance of the story, Vidya said, “I have played women who fight on a field, as the last line of defence. What frightened me most while playing Priya was realizing she could be any of us. Our parents. Our neighbours. Priya is educated, she is careful, she does everything right, and she still loses everything in a single afternoon.”

“Now think about people who aren't as familiar with the digital world. That is what makes this story matter. If it makes even one family pause before that one scam phone call, it has done more than most stories ever get to.”

Talking about what drew her to the format, she further added, “I had stayed away from microdrama all this while. But this story intrigued me, and so did the fact that this format actually gets really close to people. It lives on their phones, in the same place where these scams happen.”

Joining her is Bigg Boss 15 runner-up Pratik Sehajpal, who takes on the role of Vicky Mandal, the man behind the scam network. Speaking about playing the antagonist, Pratik said, “Playing the person behind the crime forced me to understand how cold and organized this world really is. These are not lone tricksters; they are factories built to break your judgment in ninety seconds.”

“I wanted people to hate Vicky, because that hatred is what makes you spot the real scammers in your own life. Working with Story TV was different from anything I have done. To me, this microdrama format is the next big thing in entertainment, and I have felt that ambition on the set every single day,” he added.

Vineet Raina plays Raj Thakur, a suspended officer who joins the fight against the network. Speaking about his character, Vineet said, “Raj is a man who was punished for doing his job right. There are real officers fighting this quietly, and I salute them. This show is not about entertainment that looks away from the truth.”

The microdrama also features Sandeep Aurora as Anand, alongside Priyanshi Tripathi, Puja Jha, Ayushi Tyagi, Shital Tejwani, Ashok K. Jha, and Yogesh Pawar.

Produced by Small Town Boys and directed by Alok Sharma, the thriller is streaming exclusively on the Story TV app.

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