Consumers of cinema in India are as diverse as the population of 1.3 billion itself. The needs of the audience are incredibly varied, from those who crave a light-hearted, escapist film, to those who enter the cinema hall to be intellectually stimulated. However, the mainstream cinema, known globally as Bollywood, has long held a reputation of catering only to the first category of audience members, sticking to formulaic scripts, over the top plots with little to no attention to artistic detail, and underwhelming performances by actors who have been given their opportunities through nepotistic connections rather than merit or raw talent.
With this gap of stimulating content plaguing the industry, Indians have been deprived of having access to good quality cinema in their local theatres. This is not to say that India does not have a history of great cinema, quite the contrary, the nation has been gifted with a myriad of actors, writers, and directors who have weaved tails that have become classics, celebrated not just within India, but internationally as well. However, the problem arises when good films made by independent filmmakers and smaller production houses, due to lack of adequate financial power, cannot distribute their films to the masses. This leaves good quality films only available to the few who actively seek them out, whether by attending film festivals or by finding copies online. The majority, however is not served an alternative to the standard quality of cinema they have been consuming for decades on the big screen. I, myself have often felt frustration upon watching a Bollywood film in the theatres, knowing the immense and unique talent that the country holds, but does not boast on screen. The nation is rich with diversity, culture and vibrancy, however on the big screen, we are presented with a mediocre, heavily simplified portrayal of modern India.
Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, Zee5, AltBalaji, and numerous other digital platforms have opened the gates to diverse and stimulating content for the Indian consumer. Film makers now have an entirely new avenue to showcase their art to thousands of viewers, who gain access to this content by paying a price that is equivalent to one movie ticket. Audiences are exposed to entirely new styles of cinema and television, all from the comfort of their own homes. Additionally, actors that were not given their time on screen in mainstream cinema, due to several factors including lack of generational privilege and/or conventionally attractive features, are seen in lead roles, finally being able to showcase their extraordinary talent. Through these OTT platforms, viewers can also enjoy content that is free from censorship, allowing them to explore new ideas that were previously hard to imagine in mainstream cinema, for example films and television shows where homosexual relationships are normalised.
The Covid-19 pandemic, had completely halted the productions of several big banner films in Bollywood in 2020. And with the audiences being deprived of new films to fill up the theatres for, OTT platforms ensured that Indians were thoroughly entertained with a plethora of choices to entertain people of all ages.
What this influx of new streams of content represents is the possibilities for undervalued writers, artists, actors and filmmakers to stretch their creative muscles, and tell stories previously not told or accepted by the masses. It is a chance to provide multiple perspectives, bring attention to various experiences within the country that were previously ignored by mainstream filmmakers, and create cinema that encompasses India, truly, in all its diversity, complexity and unique beauty.
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