It would be an exaggerated statement to say that theaters are dying, but one observation you must make is that they are definitely slowing down. With more and more OTT platforms not only making series but also focusing on original films, people do have choices.
Besides that, with shorter theatrical windows, people don’t have to wait for months for the linear cable release as movies come to OTT fairly quickly.
So, with the stats going downhill, is Cinema Lovers Day a gimmick right now?
Historically, there is nothing like a Cinema Lovers Day. It is somewhat of an event organized by theater chains to encourage more fans to watch films in cinemas. But in most places, it is organized in January or early February as there are not many big releases then.
So, with discounted prices, it boosts the box office a bit and also makes people come and watch films in theaters. But this feels like a gimmick this year.
Making people watch films for a price point of ₹99 is a solid initiative, but keeping the recent box-office numbers in mind, it looks like the event is just an escape.
For the Hollywood side of events, the big films are flopping as the big summer hit is yet to come. Though Furiosa had potential, it failed drastically. And India has no big Hollywood movies going on now as *Furiosa* fell flat.
In terms of the Indian side of events, Maidaan was expected to earn big bucks but had tough luck. Srikanth also got good critical reviews but with an unkind box office, this doesn’t look good for the industry. And similar to the Western side of events, the East has no big releases right now.
See, the theaters aren’t doing any service to society. These discounted events come and go based on the convenience of the chains. A similar offer wouldn’t exist if there was a big title running wild at the box office, so we can definitely say this is indeed a gimmick.