Ever since we hit the pandemic, the rise of the
OTT
was huge and not something any of us could miss. It surely took some time for
theatres
to thrive back and it still seems like work in progress. However, with overload of content on OTT and no experimentation in its genres, not to mention, people getting bored; it does seem like this digital space has perhaps begun to reach a saturation point and may need to review its content.
On the other hand, 2024 is the year where cinema does seem to have begun to regain its charm with a number of movies which did well. Most importantly, it made people want to go out to watch a film, unlike it was in 2022 and 2023. This year one saw a huge progress on that front. As 2024 ends, ETimes explores this debate as experts weigh in. Find out!
Has OTT reached a saturation point?
While OTT seems to be thriving and how, in terms of international shows and movies being watched in India widely. However, the Indian content on OTT seems like it needs a bit of re-thinking. Projects with similar themes, or genres are being made. Sometimes, there’s also an overload of content with so many streaming platforms. Film-maker
Saurabh Verma
says, “The OTT space, while expanding rapidly, is still in its formative years. Though some exceptional content has emerged, OTT platforms have yet to produce the kind of cultural phenomena that Indian television once delivered with classics like
Buniyaad
, Hum Log, Chanakya, and Shanti during the cable TV revolution.
With deep pockets, OTT players are experimenting to find their footing. Several untapped opportunities remain, particularly in genres such as:
⦁ Comedy: The appetite for relatable, laugh-out-loud stories is still unmet.
⦁ Horror: Quality horror content with authentic Indian settings is scarce.
⦁ Heartland Stories: Narratives rooted in India’s rural and small-town heartlands hold immense potential but remain underexplored.”
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Exhibitor-Distributor Akshaye Rathi echoes a similar sentiment as he says, “I don’t think it’s beginning to saturate. I think it’s, it’s about to hit the peak of saturation. All of us will relate to this, that very often in the evening, we come back home, we put the TV on, we browse watch all day on every platform and we shut the TV without watching anything.
He further adds, “That sort of consumption fatigue is actually prevalent in every bloody house out there, unless something truly clutter breaking comes out. So, this consumption fatigue is there across mediums, unfortunately, and right now we’re in a scenario where for recreation, and I’m not saying entertainment, mark my words, I’m using the word recreation. We have so many options where for going to the movies or watching something on an OTT platform, the competition is not just these two for each other.”
Is there an overdose of similar content?
Rathi adds, “In 2007 or 2008, ‘Wanted’ came out and I think around that time ‘Ghajini’. And after that, every actor out there wanted to do the remake of a Telugu or a Tamil film where they are playing a cop. When rom-com started working, everyone suddenly wanted to make rom-coms, right? And this whole bhedachal that we go into of trying to replicate success is a sure-shot formula for saturating the, you know, the formula or the genre that created that success. You know, we are such a diverse country in terms of our cultures, our tastes, our preferences, our languages, our consumption patterns. And it’s critical that we keep with a fair bit of consistency, providing different genres and different types of content to every kind of an audience.”
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Varun Gupta from Max Marketing, says, “As far as the saturation on OTT is concerned, I think yes, a lot of material is coming out. The two best films of the year according to me and according to a lot of people is Chamkila which was on OTT and Vijay Sethupathi‘s Maharaja which was also most of the people consumed it on OTT. Both those films have come in front of people because of OTT.
So a good film whether it’s in theatre or OTT generally wouldn’t get lost. But yes, there is barrage of a lot of films coming on OTT out of which very few stand out.”
Are theatres beginning to regain their charm?
This year, one saw many movies doing well in cinemas. Right from ‘Stree 2’ to ‘Laapataa Ladies’ to ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’, ‘Singham Again’ and of course the big ‘Pushpa 2’. With these movies slowly making way for theatres to thrive back in, one wonders if theatres are slowly beginning to get their charm. Reacting to it, Jyoti Deshpande, President – Media & Content Business, RIL, said, “It has been a significant year that’s seen a dynamic and evolving landscape. While big theatricals promise the revival of cinemas as seen with our own Stree2,
Singham Again
,
Shaitan
and Article 370 which successfully brought in audiences for the shared joy of watching a blockbuster, smaller gems like Laapataa Ladies have also found large audiences on streaming. What’s interesting is, the streaming success of Laapataa Ladies extended its theatrical run by another six weeks. Hence, while the big screen magic is matchless, so is the draw of streaming which continues to flourish, and balancing the two mediums will be instrumental in unlocking the full potential of our cinema.”
She further added, “Entertainment is ultimately about telling stories that connect and a story told with originality and authenticity will find its way to its audience across both mediums.”
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Echoing this, Varun Gupta adds, “One, with re-releasing few films like Rockstar,
Laila Majnu
, Tumbbad, Karan Arjun. Beyond that, I think if you notice 2023, which was the last year, it only had mega hits like Pathan, Gadar,
Jawan
and Animal.But this year saw a Hanuman doing well, an Article 370 doing well Lapata Ladies doing well, Munjiya doing well, Madgaon Express doing well. So it is a bigger hope for people where if the films are good, audiences are walking in even for smaller films, well-made films and we don’t need to only focus on making big action films. So this year we have had a Pushpa also, we have had a Stree also, we have had a Munjiya also and a Madgaon Express and an Article 370. So I think while money-wise, maybe the previous year would have been better, but content-wise this year has been better because people have accepted every kind of cinema.
The need for recreation post pandemic
The need of the hour today is also for people to venture out, in the post pandemic era. Rathi adds, “Competition is there between platforms for filling that need for recreation for people, going out to a restaurant, going out to, NMACC or St. Andrews or NCPA to watch a play. It’s going out to Imagica, it’s going out for a drive, it’s so many other avenues of recreation. There’s gaming, there’s AI and so much more. So, the people in general are so spoiled for choice right now that unless something truly clutter breaking and truly outstanding, that’s worth their time, money and effort comes out through any of these mediums, they won’t consume And that’s exactly why there’s such a huge gap between the demand and supply.”
The Road Ahead
Saurabh Varma concludes, “While cinemas face challenges, they remain an irreplaceable collective experience that no home screen can replicate. However, to stay relevant, the industry must innovate and collaborate to address audience concerns. Simultaneously, OTT platforms have immense room for growth, with the opportunity to create timeless content that shapes the next era of entertainment.
The question isn’t whether OTT has reached saturation or cinemas have lost their charm – it’s how these mediums can evolve to coexist and cater to an increasingly discerning audience.”
