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Pink Villa
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Opinion: Is the theatre-going audience migrating to OTT? Analysing an average cinegoer
he rise of OTT platforms has transformed how audiences consume entertainment, offering convenience, variety, and affordability at the click of a button. Yet, despite the undeniable pull of streaming services, the prestige of a big-screen experience is something that shall always remain. For the average cinegoer, theatre-going is less about just watching a film and more about the experience. It is somewhat similar to a cultural outing that's treated like a picnic or a festival. In 2025, as Indian cinema continues to evolve alongside Hollywood releases, the question remains that is the theatre audience truly migrating to OTT, or is the cinema experience too cherished to fade? The theatre-going experience carries a prestige that OTT platforms struggle to replicate. Visiting a cinema involves effort. There's planning, travel, and often a financial commitment, which elevates its perceived value. Unlike the ease of streaming a film on a phone or TV, the act of dressing up, booking tickets, and immersing oneself in a larger-than-life screen fosters a sense of occasion. This effort elevates the experience, leaving a lasting impact and making it more memorable than binge-watching on a couch. The grandeur of a theatre, its booming sound systems, vibrant visuals, and communal energy creates a shared cultural moment that OTT cannot match. For instance, watching a high-octane Indian film like War 2 or a visually stunning Hollywood spectacle like Avatar: Fire And Ash on a massive screen is an unparalleled thrill. However, the decline in theatre attendance cannot be ignored. Data suggests footfalls in Indian cinemas have dropped in recent years, driven by multiple factors. The primary culprit is the lack of compelling content tailored for the big screen. While 2025 promises exciting Indian releases like Kantara 2, Coolie, War 2 and Welcome 3, many recent films have failed to justify the theatrical experience, feeling better suited for smaller screens. High ticket prices, especially in urban multiplexes, further deter the average cinegoer, who may find OTT subscriptions more economical. Additionally, the scarcity of theatres in smaller towns limits access, pushing rural audiences toward streaming platforms. Hollywood's 2025 slate, including Final Destination: Bloodlines and Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning may draw crowds, but inconsistent quality in mainstream releases has left audiences selective. Despite these challenges, the big screen is far from obsolete. The allure of theatrical releases lies in their ability to offer spectacle and community. Indian cinema, in particular, thrives on larger-than-life narratives like Baahubali or RRR that demand the immersive theatre environment. The collective gasps, cheers, and applause in a theatre create a social experience that OTT cannot replicate. Moreover, cinema outings often double as social events, with families and friends making a day of it, complete with snacks and discussions. OTT platforms excel in accessibility, offering diverse content from global series to regional films. Yet, their ease of access can dilute the emotional weight of viewing. The average cinegoer, balancing convenience and experience, may lean on OTT for casual viewing but reserves theatres for event films. The solution lies in revitalizing cinema. Lower ticket prices, more theatres in Tier-2 cities, and content that demands the big screen. The theatre-going tradition, steeped in effort and prestige, will endure as a cherished ritual, even as OTT carves its own space. The big screen is here to stay, a beacon of cinematic magic in 2025 and beyond.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Bridget Jones film surpasses Barbie in advance UK box office sales
The forthcoming Bridget Jones movie, Mad About The Boy, is off to a promising start at the box office, with pre-release tickets already outselling Greta Gerwig's blockbuster movie Barbie. According to data shared by two major UK cinema chains one week ahead of the film's 13 February release, the film was already outselling Barbie in the comparative pre-sale period. Odeon has reported sales of around 70,000 tickets, outselling Barbie in the same period. The company told Screen Daily that 20 per cent of tickets had been sold for the Thursday preview day, and around a third for Valentine's Day (14 February). Curzon has said that advance sales of the film were 20 per cent ahead of Barbie's sales in the same period. Damian Spandley, managing director of programming and sales at Curzon, has credited the film's pre-release sales due to the smart Valentine's Day scheduling. Digital Cinema Media projects the film to rank third at the UK and Ireland box office this year, behind Disney's Avatar: Fire And Ash (19 December release) and Universal's Wicked: For Good (21 November release). However, it's unlikely that the film will surpass total UK and Ireland box office sales of Gerwig's Barbie, which saw huge fanfare at the time of release, with fans arriving at cinemas dressed in Barbie pink. During its opening weekend in the UK and Ireland, Barbie made £18.4 million at the box office, and £95.7 million in total. Forecasts for UK and Ireland opening weekend box office for Mad About The Boy are in line with the £8.1 million achieved by the third film, Bridget Jones's Baby in 2016. The promising early sales for Mad About The Boy could be explained by the anticipation that comes with the nine-year gap from the last film, with the Valentine's Day timing drawing in 'Galentine's' audiences – groups of female friends celebrating 14 February together. The fourth film in the franchise, based on Helen Fielding's 2013 book, sees Bridget navigate 'life as a widow and single mum with the help of her family, friends, and former lover Daniel. Back to work and on the dating apps, following the death of her husband and father of her children, Mark Darcy'. Uproar over the death of Colin Firth's Mark Darcy made front page news when Fielding's novel was published in 2013. Early film viewers have been left similarly distressed, with many leaving the cinema in tears. Speaking to The Guardian, Zellweger – who has played the titular character since 2001 – admitted Darcy's death had a huge emotional impact on her, too, leaving her feeling 'rotten'. 'I was a crazy person mourning this fictional character,' she said. 'I was weeping.' 'It was also for that shared experience with Colin,' the Oscar-winning actor added. 'Seeing him in his suit and beautiful coat, with his briefcase, looking dapper and very Mark Darcy. 'This is the end…we don't get to do this anymore,' Zellweger said. Following Darcy's death, Chiwetel Ejiofor, who plays her son's science teacher, and Leo Woodall are in the film as love interests for Bridget. Speaking at the movie's London premiere this week, Zellweger addressed the age gap between her 51-year-old Bridget and Woodall's 29-year-old Roxster. 'I mean, I think it's nothing new,' she told Variety. 'But maybe the social taboos are melting away… it's never a bad thing. There's certain things that we probably don't need to have opinions about, and where people find love… why would that ever be a problem?'
The Independent
08-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
New Bridget Jones film surpasses Barbie in advance UK box office sales
The forthcoming Bridget Jones movie, Mad About The Boy, is off to a promising start at the box office, with pre-release tickets already outselling Greta Gerwig 's blockbuster movie Barbie. According to data shared by two major UK cinema chains one week ahead of the film's 13 February release, the film was already outselling Barbie in the comparative pre-sale period. Odeon has reported sales of around 70,000 tickets, outselling Barbie in the same period. The company told Screen Daily that 20 per cent of tickets had been sold for the Thursday preview day, and around a third for Valentine's Day (14 February). Curzon has said that advance sales of the film were 20 per cent ahead of Barbie 's sales in the same period. Damian Spandley, managing director of programming and sales at Curzon, has credited the film's pre-release sales due to the smart Valentine's Day scheduling. Digital Cinema Media projects the film to rank third at the UK and Ireland box office this year, behind Disney's Avatar: Fire And Ash (19 December release) and Universal's Wicked: For Good (21 November release). However, it's unlikely that the film will surpass total UK and Ireland box office sales of Gerwig's Barbie, which saw huge fanfare at the time of release, with fans arriving at cinemas dressed in Barbie pink. During its opening weekend in the UK and Ireland, Barbie made £18.4 million at the box office, and £95.7 million in total. Forecasts for UK and Ireland opening weekend box office for Mad About The Boy are in line with the £8.1 million achieved by the third film, Bridget Jones 's Baby in 2016. The promising early sales for Mad About The Boy could be explained by the anticipation that comes with the nine-year gap from the last film, with the Valentine's Day timing drawing in 'Galentine's' audiences – groups of female friends celebrating 14 February together. The fourth film in the franchise, based on Helen Fielding 's 2013 book, sees Bridget navigate 'life as a widow and single mum with the help of her family, friends, and former lover Daniel. Back to work and on the dating apps, following the death of her husband and father of her children, Mark Darcy'. Uproar over the death of Colin Firth 's Mark Darcy made front page news when Fielding's novel was published in 2013. Early film viewers have been left similarly distressed, with many leaving the cinema in tears. Speaking to The Guardian, Zellweger – who has played the titular character since 2001 – admitted Darcy's death had a huge emotional impact on her, too, leaving her feeling 'rotten'. 'I was a crazy person mourning this fictional character,' she said. 'I was weeping.' 'It was also for that shared experience with Colin,' the Oscar-winning actor added. 'Seeing him in his suit and beautiful coat, with his briefcase, looking dapper and very Mark Darcy. 'This is the end…we don't get to do this anymore,' Zellweger said. Following Darcy's death, Chiwetel Ejiofor, who plays her son's science teacher, and Leo Woodall are in the film as love interests for Bridget. Speaking at the movie's London premiere this week, Zellweger addressed the age gap between her 51-year-old Bridget and Woodall's 29-year-old Roxster. 'I mean, I think it's nothing new,' she told Variety. 'But maybe the social taboos are melting away… it's never a bad thing. There's certain things that we probably don't need to have opinions about, and where people find love… why would that ever be a problem?'
