The advent of OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, SonyLIV, Zee5, and many others has time and again sparked the imagination of cinephiles about how the Indian OTT industry’s recent boom can possibly lead to a popularity decline of cinemas.
If you were born or brought up during the 1980s and 90s period, you might recollect that a strikingly similar debate was the talk of the town when future of cinemas was declared to be at stake after the arrival of VHS (Video Home Systems), that is, video cassette players.
Some of the film studios not only in India but the film industry across the world expressed their apprehension regarding their films subsequently releasing on the home video platform. They might have thought that the growing video rental market could lead to a reduced footfall for theatrical film viewings. Because a significant chunk of prospective viewers would have the option of watching their films a few weeks or months later, on television within the comfort of their homes.
On the contrary, the proliferation of home video viewing is said to have further bolstered creativity as more aspiring filmmakers stepped into the film industry owing to an increased viewer base. This, in turn, gave a pleasant boost to cinema attendance during that era. Consequently, single-screen theatres in India gave way to the multiplex theatres concept. And the film industry also had its fair share of innovations like films in 3D/4D/IMAX formats to attract more audience and to make the whole experience gratifying.
This is somewhat analogous to the OTT vs Cinema debate that has been the subject of brainstorming discussions amongst film experts and audiences alike. You might recall that when James Cameron’s epic blockbuster film ‘Titanic’ was released, the makers took the calculated gamble to simultaneously release the film on the VHS platform alongside theatres. And the rest is history. In a similar fashion, we can compare this concurrent/hybrid release strategy with a recent Indian film ‘Radhe’. The makers announced that the film would adopt a hybrid release model and will release in theatres, digital platforms, and DTH simultaneously.
These facts make us ponder that home video platforms, be it VHS, DVD, or now OTT, could amicably co-exist alongside cinemas. As of now, because of the unfortunate pandemic situation, many filmmakers have resorted to direct-to-OTT releases instead of theatrical releases. It includes much-anticipated films like ‘Toofaan’, ‘Bhuj: The Pride of India’, and ‘Malik’, to name a few.
Having said that, the OTT industry might also have one major positive impact for cine-goers. And that is the exorbitant ticket prices that cinema owners charge from the viewers. For staying afloat and competing with the OTT industry, it may give a chance to the underprivileged segment of moviegoers to watch their favorite stars on the big screen, which they couldn’t watch earlier.
Therefore, in the longer run, after the world is hopefully out of the pandemic situation and considering the erstwhile VHS-Cinema learnings, Cinemas and OTT platforms have a high probability of co-existence and might even complement each other. Just think about it. Whether you would want to watch an epic film like ‘RRR’ in an OTT platform or experience its visual opulence in a cinema hall? The answer to this question implies that cinemas are here to stay!