Amitabh Bachchan, a megastar even today, recently came forth shedding light on what he thinks is the future of Hindi cinema in the era of digitalisation.
The veteran actor said that films should be first released on the big screens and then on online platforms and devices.
However, he did warn about the realistic pricing of tickets for films running in cinemas to make sure people tread outside the comfort of their homes.
“Today, when men and women are toiling in the Indian film industry shoulder to shoulder, we also have several options for viewing content in the comfort of our homes. Yet the thrill of watching movies on the big screen remains unmatched,” he said in a video message at the closing ceremony of the 25th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF).
Amitabh continued, "We need to find ways to protect these traditions. I like the idea of pictures first showing in cinema halls, and then, perhaps, going to streaming and other devices. I am a loyalist to that degree.”
The Brahmastra actor also talked about the role of cinema in the digital age. “It would be most worthwhile to draw attention to the core fact that films are primarily made for entertainment, drawing large audiences to the big screen.”
He pointed out that digital platforms like Netflix and Amazon are revolutionising the way one watches films, while several other streaming services are also now available in India.
“So what happens next? Can classics like Gone with the Wind or Mughal-e-Azam be watched on the small screen with the same excitement that had originally made them blockbusters? Can the magic of Satyajit Ray’s trilogy or his classic Jalshaghar be captured with the same amount of sensitivity on a small laptop or on a mobile phone?", he said.