THE FATE OF BIG SCREENS (OTT vs Theatres - Analysis)

Mumbai, Feb 5, 2022: A movie theatre which is otherwise known as a movie hall, picture house, the silver screen is the place where the audience watches movies of their interest. Indian film industry stands itself among one of the top industries in the world, having produced a large number of movies of each genre.

Capital Cinema Hall in Mumbai is the oldest cinema theatre in India established in 1879. Currently, there are around 9000 movie theatres in India which include 6327 single screens 3200 multiple plexes as per stats. Movie halls are the best places where the audiences are accustomed to a marvellous experience which helps them overcome their
daily stress, anxiety etc.

The Theatre viewing
experience establishes a connection between the
viewer and the fantasy movie character. Big
screens provide wholesome entertainment that
the viewers gets locked in an imaginary world
throughout the duration of the movie.

During
the '50s, '60s and the 70's decade movie
theatres were the only sources to view movies
and they enjoyed a non-competitive and
dominant run in business.

Movies used to run
for over a year during these times as there
was no competition from ott, television etC.
Due to these reasons movies used to generate
very High footfalls back then. Movies used to
get reruns during that time and a prime
example is Sholay which was successful in its
all reruns. But as the times passed theatres
began to experience competition from other
platforms.

It all started in the 80's decade when piracy
came into existence, which eventually lead to
people watching movies in VCR doing piracy
which affected the silver screens. The footfalls
of the movie's started to decline to post this and
this was a matter of deep concern for the
producers and the theatre owners then.

The movie Maine Pyar Kiya busted this mythical
the belief that footfalls can't be rosen back after it
generated more than 4 cr footfalls the main
reason for which being its extraordinary
content.

After Maine Pyar Kiya the industry
struggled to even touch 3 Cr footfalls until
movies like Hum Aapke Hain Kon, DDLJ and
Raja Hindustani arrived. Around this time the
popularity for television was also increasing
rapidly, as a result of that, the producers began
to telecast the movie immediately after the
theatrical ended which put full stops on re-run
trend.

A larger number of people used to wait
till the movie appeared on television as a result
of the increase in television demand which
further affected the theatre business. The
years 2002-2007 witnessed a large increase in
multiplex audiences and decline in single
Screen audiences reason being the urban
friendly content movies which were produced
in large amount during this time.

Rural
audiences prefered massy actions movies
which were limited during this period due to
which single screens had a tough time. Due to
this trend in more urban-friendly movies they
struggled very much to hit 2 cr footfalls. These
instances lead to single screens being on the
verge of extinction.

The movies like Ghajini (2008), Wanted (2009)
and Dabangg (2010) broke this dogma and the
single screens were revived once again. This
encouraged the makers to make such types of
the movie's as the audiences were more into this
type of stuff. The business was revived very
well but it didn't meet the craze it used to have
before the 90's because of competition from
the rival platforms.

With the help of content and
their mass fan following actors like Salman
Khan and Aamir Khan were able to drive mass
audiences into the theatres. With its unique
storytelling and extraordinary visual experience
the movies Bahubali and its sequel Bahubali 2
recreated the magic which the movies of the
The '60s and 70's used to do.

At the present times
we are living in an era where theatres are facing
huge competition from cheap internet, old
enemy television and the biggest enemy Over
the top television (ott) in the recent years have
established itself as a formidable force to be
reckoned with.

The surge in covid cases and
the lockdown helped them in doing so. Many
of the movies which were ready for theatrical
the release was forced to release in ott. Movies
like Radhe and Laxmii which featured Megastar
Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar helped out
accelerate its growth.

Many of the theatres are
in closing state post-pandemic and theatre
owners are facing difficulty in the business
The audiences have started shifting
themselves to ott platforms more often as it
provides quality content at affordable rates
within the four walls safety of their homes.
The only thing well-wishers of theatres can do right
now hopes that situations get better as time
passes as the theatre owners are facing huge
debts and all the more ott cannot be an
alternative for the big screen Visual experience
in anyways.

It's a fact that during this tough
unfavourable situation and also senseless
content worsening the scenario movies will
struggle to even hit 1 cr footfalls in the
upcoming times. Actors like Salman Khan and
Aamir Khan who enjoy a large solid fan base
are in their last lap.

Actors like Ranbir Kapoor
and Ranveer Singh are labelled as new
comers despite working in the industry for
Over a decade. The industry can save itself
only if they produce quality content and also
the future of the covid pandemic will also play a
major role in this.

The public too should pledge
that they'll avoid piracy and try to watch movies
in theatres to get the irreplaceable visual
spectacle experience which can relieve them of
any mental ailments they are facing which are
exactly the purpose of cinema and
entertainment industry.

Many people who work
in the entertainment industry and the theatres
are going through very rough patches in their
lives and are struggling to meet their
livelihoods.

Our audiences can do our bit to
contribute towards helping these people, some
who are on the verge of suicide due to
financial issues by taking an oath to avoid
piracy and watch movies at theatres so that
these people get their bit.

Stay tuned.