Watching a film in a theatre is more than just watching a movie—it’s an experience. Sharing the excitement with 300 others, all cheering at the same scenes, laughing at the same jokes, singing along to the same songs, and being captivated by the twists together creates a powerful sense of connection. There’s truly nothing that can compare.
But with the advent of OTT platforms, where we get entertainment at the tip of our fingertips, we can watch those same films at home, but we can’t replicate the feeling of community we get.
As the director of the 55th International Film Festival of India, renowned filmmaker Shekhar Kapur shared in a conference that he couldn’t let this opportunity pass him by. He expressed that his very identity is intertwined with the existence of Indian cinema. He exists because Indian cinema exists.
He gets nostalgic about the days when he’d go to the theatres—a chaotic journey shared between a filmmaker and an eager audience of 300, all ready to immerse themselves in the story being told. He reflects on how this experience has sadly faded away over time.
A filmmaker lives within every cheer of the crowd, every tear shed, every laugh, every scoff, every breath held in suspense, and every sigh of relief. They are present in the roll of credits, the thrill of a trailer, the pause of an intermission, and the heart of every story. With each film, they are reborn—and it is the audience who makes this rebirth possible.
Every audience is valued, whether watching from home or in theatres. But the magic of the theatre experience is something today’s audience often misses out on. It’s a unique experience that more viewers should savour and celebrate.