Keerthy Suresh says she was warned against streaming debut, calls OTT and cinema equal as Netflix’s Akka nears premiere

India, Oct. 27 -- Actor Keerthy Suresh said she was told not to do a web series because she was “a theatrical star,” but chose to proceed with her streaming debut, Akka, an upcoming Netflix series, according to an interview published on Oct. 27, 2026.

Suresh, 34, discussed the project and her views on the OTT-versus-cinema debate in a conversation with Hindustan Times.

Akka and Keerthy Suresh’s role

Akka is described as a period action drama set in Pernuru, a fictional Telugu town run by women, where three “sisters” rule the criminal underworld.

Suresh plays Bhavani, one of the “akka” figures in Pernuru. She said the role challenged her expectations of what a “gangster” character looks like, describing Bhavani as “very calm” and “compos...