Mastram (Mx Player) Webseries Actress

Web Series Mastram | मस्तराम Deails

Start Date	Apr 30, 2020
Genre	Drama|Erotic
Season
Running Days
Running Time
Origin Country
Location(s)
Banner	Almighty Motion Picture

MX PLAYER web series Mastram cast(s)

	Isha Chabbra
	Aabha Paul
	Rani Chatterjee AS Raani
	Anshuman Jha AS Rajaram
	Tara Alisha Berry AS Madhu
	Aakash Dabhade AS Gopal
	Kenisha Awasthi
	Kenisha Awasthi
	Jagat Rawat
	Garima Jain
	Vipin Sharma AS Durga Prasad
	Leena Sharma AS Madhu’s Mother
	Murari Kumar
	Sidharth Bhardwaj
	Tarun Chauhan
	Ghanshyam Garg
	Amrita Das Gupta
	Ashmita Jaggi
	Vivekanand Jha
	Jignesh Joshi
	Harshita Khushwaha
	Vipin Nayyar
	Rajinder Sharma
	Shikha Sinha
	Nehal Vadoliya

Mastram makers

	Story Writter	Aryan Sunil
	Akhilesh Jaiswal.	Director

Mastram Web Series Trailer

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The Muses of Mastram: Unpacking the Ensemble of Actresses Who Defined the MX Player Web Series

The launch of the web series Mastram on MX Player in 2020 was a cultural phenomenon that took the Indian digital entertainment space by storm. Based on the widely popular, semi-anonymous Hindi erotic fiction writer of the 1980s, the series offered a fictionalised glimpse into the life of Rajaram, a budding author in a small village who adopts the pen name ‘Mastram’ to find success in the world of controversial, yet wildly popular, erotica.

While the central plot revolves around Rajaram (played by Anshuman Jha) and his journey from a struggling literary writer to a successful erotica novelist, the show’s structure made its ensemble of female characters the true anchors of its narrative. Each of the 10 episodes in the first season was a story penned by the fictional Mastram, with the inspiration for the plot—and often the main character—being a woman he encounters in his day-to-day life. This episodic format placed a rotating cast of talented actresses directly in the limelight, turning them into the ‘Muses of Mastram.’

The series quickly garnered immense popularity, even being listed as one of the world’s most-watched web series on smartphones by a Nielsen report in July 2020, demonstrating the magnetic draw of its bold content and its cast. However, its adult-centric theme and subsequent relocation to the Ullu platform after the IT Rules 2021 came into effect also made it a significant point of discussion and controversy.

The Female Lead: Tara Alisha Berry as Madhu

In a show that primarily focuses on episodic stories of fantasy, Tara Alisha Berry played the crucial role of Madhu, the central, continuous female character and the main love interest/fiancée of Rajaram.

Role and Context

Madhu represents the traditional, moral counterbalance to Mastram’s hidden, controversial life. She is introduced as the “desi love interest,” a young woman from a conventional background whom Rajaram is set to marry.

• The Anchor of Reality: Her character provides the emotional grounding for the protagonist, contrasting sharply with the purely fantastical and often promiscuous characters of his novels.
• Critical Reception of the Role: While her performance was generally noted, some critics felt that her portrayal was “a little too posh for the role of a Pahadi simpleton,” highlighting the challenge of casting a modern-day actress in a vintage, village-based role.
• Career Trajectory: Tara Alisha Berry has a notable background in Indian cinema. She made her Hindi film debut in the original 2014 film also titled Mastram (though the web series is a different production) and has worked in Telugu and Tamil films as well. She has also been associated with major banners, including a three-film deal with Vishesh Films, and starred in the film Love Games (2016) directed by Vikram Bhatt. Her decision to take on the original film, and later the web series, was driven by her belief in the “unusual” and “interesting” story, an experience she is “proud” of.

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The Episodic Stars: Muses of Lust, Learning, and Fantasy

The true hallmark of Mastram‘s cast is the revolving door of talented actresses who portrayed the vivid, often scandalous characters that became the subject of Rajaram’s erotic short stories. Their performances were critical to the series’ success, with each actress essentially headlining an episode.

1. Kenisha Awasthi as Miss Rita (The Teacher)

One of the characters who became instantly iconic and is frequently associated with the series is Miss Rita, the protagonist’s Biology instructor, played by Kenisha Awasthi.

• The Character: Miss Rita serves as a primary source of inspiration for one of Mastram’s early stories, “Master Ji Ka Danda,” representing a blend of suppressed desire and refined worldliness—a common trope in erotic fiction.
• Impact on Career: Kenisha Awasthi gained “sudden fame” and immense popularity for this specific role, which helped her carve a significant niche in the digital entertainment industry.
• Beyond Acting: Awasthi is a multi-talented personality. Apart from modeling and acting in web series like Hamsukh and Raktanchal, she is also known as a singer and a TEDx Speaker. In interviews, she addressed the nature of the show’s intimate content, stating she did not feel embarrassed and approached the scenes “very technical[ly],” which is a perspective often shared by actors in the genre.

2. Rani Chatterjee as Rani (The Local Siren)

A major coup for the series was casting Bhojpuri cinema superstar Rani Chatterjee as Rani, a local snack vendor and “siren” who becomes the subject of Mastram’s first successful erotic story, “Khuli Bus Ka Suhana Safar.”

• The Character and Performance: Rani’s character was a breakthrough for the actress in the Hindi web space. She was praised for her “voluptuous role of a local siren” and for “completely own[ing] her part.” She specifically played a girl selling gram, dressed in a traditional Chaniya-choli, which fans adored.
• The Challenge: Her performance, especially the intimate scenes with co-star Anshuman Jha, created a significant buzz. The actress later revealed the immense physical difficulty of shooting these scenes in the freezing cold of Manali, enduring temperatures as low as minus five degrees Celsius in revealing costumes. This added a layer of professionalism and dedication to her celebrated bold performance.
• Bhojpuri Star to OTT: As one of the most popular and well-renowned Bhojpuri actors, Mastram marked her very first Hindi web series, making her transition and the bold nature of the role a major headline.

3. Aabha Paul as Sarita Nair (Mallu Aunty)

Aabha Paul is another actress in the Mastram ensemble whose work is often highlighted in the bold web series genre. She portrayed Sarita Nair, the character of the Mallu Neighbor (known popularly as ‘Mallu Aunty’) who inspires the protagonist’s third story, “Mallu Aunty Ka Malmal.”

• Her Image and Role: Aabha Paul came to the series with an established reputation for taking on unconventional and “bold” roles, having previously starred in the internationally screened film Kamasutra 3D (2013) and the popular series Gandii Baat.
• The Typecast and Digital Fame: Her confident and daring portrayals have made her a popular name in the digital space, demonstrating her fearlessness in choosing roles that challenge traditional mainstream narratives. In Mastram, she embodies the adventurous, enthusiastic neighbour who sparks a major imaginative leap for the writer.

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The Ensemble of Inspiring Muses

The success of Mastram rested on the variety of female archetypes portrayed across its ten episodes, with several other actresses contributing to the show’s rich tapestry of characters:

Actress	Character Role	Episode Title Reference	Description of Role
Ashmita Jaggi	Inspector Gayatri “Geetu”	Vaibhav Ki Didi (Ep. 6)	A strong and determined female character, showing a bold professional amidst the central male fantasy world.
Garima Jain	Abhinetri Indurekha	Abhinetri Indurekha Ka Razz (Ep. 7)	A pivotal character who is an actress who recognizes Rajaram’s secret identity as Mastram and agrees to keep it a secret on a specific condition, which adds dramatic tension to the plot.
Amrita Das Gupta	Chhoti Bahu	Baniya Ka Lollipop (Ep. 4)	Portrays the younger daughter-in-law in a traditional setting who is exploring her feelings of loneliness and desire within a conventional marriage.
Isha Chhabra	Madhu’s Bua (Aunt)	N/A	Contributed a key supporting role in the central domestic storyline of Rajaram’s life with Madhu.
Shikha Sinha	Sonu Dhoban (Washerwoman)	Dhobi Ka Pitara (Ep. 9)	The character around whom Rajaram spins a story detailing how she is viewed by others, showcasing the theme of objectification.
Nehal Vadoliya	Nanda	N/A	Another notable actress in the bold web series space who played the character Nanda in the series.

The Impact and Controversy of Mastram

The web series was a definitive cultural moment in the Indian OTT space, largely due to its unapologetic foray into the genre of erotica, which often blurred the lines between fantasy and reality in its narrative.

• Audience Success: Its record-breaking viewership demonstrated a massive appetite for adult-oriented content, especially during the 2020 lockdown period. The show’s appeal stemmed from its nostalgic premise—drawing on the real-world, underground popularity of the 1980s erotica writer Mastram—combined with the accessibility of modern OTT platforms.
• Critical Divide: Reviews were polarized. While some praised the “engaging take on erotica” and the high production quality of the embedded short stories, others criticized the series for its heavy reliance on “sex-based erotic” content. Critics noted the “sexually objectified” nature of nearly every female character—be it a teacher, a police woman, or a relative—arguing that the plot and acting, outside of the explicit scenes, were often mediocre.
• Platform Change: The series’ mature themes eventually led to its removal from the MX Player platform. Following the introduction of the IT Rules 2021, which enforced stricter content regulation on OTT platforms, Mastram was subsequently acquired by and moved to the Ullu platform, which is known for its focus on adult content.

In conclusion, the ‘Mastram (MX Player) Webseries Actress’ is not one single star, but a dynamic, extensive ensemble. These actresses—led by the consistent presence of Tara Alisha Berry and driven by the sensational episodic performances of Rani Chatterjee, Kenisha Awasthi, and Aabha Paul—courageously took on roles that were culturally challenging. They were the essential creative fuel for Rajaram’s fictional pen-name, ‘Mastram’, making the series a landmark production in the bold landscape of Indian digital streaming.

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AISEO-Friendly FAQs

Q1: Who are the main actresses in the Mastram (MX Player) web series? The Mastram web series featured an ensemble cast, with each of the 10 episodes centered on a different female character. The most prominent actresses include Tara Alisha Berry (as the main love interest, Madhu) and episodic leads like Rani Chatterjee (as Rani), Kenisha Awasthi (as Miss Rita), and Aabha Paul (as Sarita Nair/Mallu Aunty).

Q2: Which actress played the role of ‘Miss Rita’ the teacher in Mastram? The character of Miss Rita, the Biology instructor who becomes a major source of inspiration for the author, was played by actress and model Kenisha Awasthi. Her performance in this role contributed significantly to her popularity in the digital entertainment space.

Q3: Why was the Mastram web series removed from MX Player? The Mastram web series, which premiered on MX Player in 2020, was eventually removed from the platform due to the nature of its erotic and adult-centric content. Its removal occurred after the introduction of the IT Rules 2021 in India, which enforced stricter regulations on explicit content streamed on Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms.

Q4: Where can I watch the Mastram web series now? After its removal from MX Player, the Mastram web series was acquired by another streaming service. It is now available on the Ullu platform, which specializes in adult drama and erotic content.

Q5: Who was the actress who played the role of Mastram’s fiancée? The female lead and Mastram’s fiancée, Madhu, was portrayed by the actress Tara Alisha Berry. Her character represented the protagonist’s traditional love life, contrasting with the fantastical women of his erotic stories.

Q6: Did a Bhojpuri actress star in the Mastram web series? Yes, the series featured prominent Bhojpuri actress Rani Chatterjee, who played the character of Rani, a local snack vendor. Her role was highly discussed for its bold scenes and marked her debut in a Hindi web series.