Rani Mukerji opined on theatre versus OTT debate in a new chat with a publication.
In the last few years especially post COVID-19 pandemic, OTT has changed the game when it comes to film business. However, actress Rani Mukerji believes that this trend cannot replace the experience of watching movies on the big screen.
In an interview with Hindustan Times, the Mardaani star was quoted as saying, “OTT (space) is a very new concept which has come in the last two- three years. That is when the whole conversation around the OTT content started. It is new to all of us, not only me, but films predominantly are supposed to be watched on the 70mm or 90mm screen.”
Calling movie watching a community experience, Rani compared the feeling to that of people watching a match or a game live in a stadium. She said that one can experience this ‘immersive feeling’ only in a movie theatre.
“It doesn’t come when you are sitting at home, distracted by your phone, or by something else. There might be a call coming, or you have to go somewhere. You can pause the film. That experience is unmatched with the experience that we get on the big screen,” the actress explained.
Rani said that being a cinema child, she always wanted cinema to prevail and continued, “Right from the onset of Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, I always believed that this film is for a theatrical watch. It was never in the opinion that we should put it on the viewership on OTT. After a few months of release, it will eventually come on TV. The initial euphoria is actually about the whole movie experience.”
Comparing the experience of going to a theatre to that of enjoying a picnic, she told the publication, “That’s what is exciting about cinema. Not that you come back home after a hard day’s work, and just scroll what to watch and not watch. Cinema experience can’t be compared to the boredom of watching it in your home. For me, that’s too boring. I like to see films on the big screen to see. That’s the beauty of cinema.”
Speaking about movies, Rani Mukerji was recently seen in Ashima Chhiber’s legal drama, Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway. The film minted a lifetime collection of Rs 21.17 Crore at the box office.
