The End Of The Big Screen Era? OTT’s Takeover Of Cinemas

The Indian film world itself has witnessed a radical transformation in recent times, with the emergence of Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms changing the way cinema is watched at its very core. Nowhere is this shift more pronounced than in Bollywood, India’s industrious film world. For decades, Indian movies were all about waiting in endless queues for a ticket, the stale odor of popcorn in a poorly lit room, and the communal euphoria of watching larger-than-life heroes on the movie screen. But with the rising dominance of online platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, and JioCinema gradually diminishing the stronghold of traditional cinema halls, proclaiming that what we all believe is now the demise of the age of big screens.

This shift was well underway even before the COVID-19 outbreak, but the lockdown served as an important impulsive force. With theatre halls shut and film releases postponed indefinitely, producers as well as audiences turned to digital platforms. What was once a secondary mode of content soon turned out to be the primary method of watching films. OTT platforms began to release big-budget Bollywood films like Gulabo Sitabo, Shershaah, and Dhamaka, bypassing theatrical releases entirely. They were not low-key projects; they featured A-list actors and earned huge production budgets. The financial viability of such releases only ensured that OTT was now no longer an option of last resort—it was the prime mover in film distribution.

Accessibility is one of the main reasons for this shift. OTT platforms allow viewers to watch content anywhere, anytime, without the monetary and logistical expense of traveling to a cinema. For the average Indian viewer, especially in smaller towns or rural areas where there are not many multiplexes, OTT has been a democratizing influence. Also, the subscription model of these platforms offers a smorgasbord of content—Bollywood, regional films, international shows, documentaries—for a small fraction of the expense of seeing several movies in the cinema.

The cost-effectiveness of OTT platforms has played a massive role in their success. One visit to the theatre today—considering ticket prices, popcorn, and beverages—can easily cost over ₹500 per head. For the same price, you can subscribe to an OTT platform and watch unlimited content 24/7 for a whole month. If you’re a family or someone who watches movies regularly, this is revolutionary. Furthermore, OTT subscriptions are usually shared with more than one user or device, making their value even higher.

On the making side, OTT shows are also much more viable from a commercial standpoint. Unlike big-screen films that require huge sets, elaborate costumes, and huge outlays, most web series are made on small budgets with minimal crew, small locations, and targeted narratives. This allows for new entrants, independent artists, and low-budget production houses to engage in mainstream content creation, something virtually impossible in the star-driven commercial cinema industry, where big-budget films tend to bank on marquee stars and spectacle rather than substance.

Creatively, OTT platforms have encouraged filmmakers to venture into subjects and storylines that traditional Bollywood avoids. OTT movies and series tackle issues like caste, gender, insanity, and politics with complexity that’s normally constrained by the profit calculus involved in theatrical releases. It would never have been possible for movies like Serious Men, Bulbbul, and Raat Akeli Hai to find their way onto the screens of mainstream cinema halls, but they were discovered by massive audiences and won awards online. This content revolution not only enhanced the level of diversity among voices in Bollywood but also destroyed the power structure that was star-vehicle-centric and shifted it in the direction of story-driven content.

What also fits the modern way of life is the briefer runtime of OTT shows. While conventional movies tend to run to 2.5- 3 hours, taking both time and attention, digital series are in a bite-sized form of 20–30 minutes, ideal for watching on the go or at the end of the day. This convenience appeals to the busy urban lifestyle where individuals balance work, learning, and moving with little free time.

But this backroom coup has not come cheap to mainstream film culture. Theatres and standalone cinema halls particular, are struggling to stay afloat. Box office runs for non-blockbuster movies have collapsed, and only the largest spectacles like a Shah Rukh Khan or Salman Khan movie can still attract huge crowds. Even so, such tentpole movies now have a significantly shorter theatrical window before migrating onto OTT, further de-motivating the desire to watch in the cinema. That is why filmmakers in Bollywood are recalibrating their release models, with some shifting to direct-to-digital or hybrid models to optimize in reach and profitability.

It is too early, however, to declare the complete collapse of theaters. They are still symbolic and cultural, even now, particularly in India, as viewing films is still a communal activity. The cinematic spectacle of viewing a blockbuster among a dazed audience cannot be recreated at home. What is certain, though, is that the big screen no longer holds a monopoly. OTT platforms have remapped not only film consumption but also film production, marketing, and monetization.

Finally, the takeover of OTT platforms is not just a technological revolution, it’s a paradigm shift in the very nature of Bollywood itself. Cinemas will not vanish into thin air overnight, but their dominance has been squarely challenged. As digital streaming is growing in volume and outreach towards audiences, it’s obvious that the era of big screens is giving way to a future that is increasingly personal, portable, and deeply transformed.