Are OTT platform reducing TV, film viewership?

OTT platforms are gaining acceptance nowadays with increased viewership as well as actor participation. TV actors discuss with JYOTHI VENKATESH if the web poses a threat to TV or film viewership.

Jasmin Bhasin

OTT has totally revolutionized the entertainment industry. All actors love having multiple platforms to showcase their talents. It’s a great advantage for the industry, I haven’t yet acted on an OTT platform but I would love to. I don’t think it’s a threat to other platforms, every medium has its own market.

Vijayendra Kumeria

The OTT platform is growing really fast and has a vast range of content. It’s on-demand and people are enjoying binge-watching their favorite shows. It’s great for us actors also that we have more opportunities. Having said that, I personally believe that there might be a little dip in TV viewership due to OTT platforms but eventually, TV viewership will always be good. There is nothing much to worry about as people in different parts of the country still like watching shows on television screens and enjoy the content served to them. If we talk about big screens then I must say people love watching films in the theatre and that will never change.

Himanshu Malhotra

I am very happy that OTT platforms have come up because I think it gives an artist a chance to explore various channels because TV also becomes saturated at one point in time. With OTT platforms, there is a chance to do something new, something interesting, something unique, something which has not been done before. As far as I’m concerned, I’m doing something for Zee 5, which I’ll start shooting by the end of this month. It’s a very interesting thriller, which is being directed by a filmmaker. Through this platform, we also get a chance to work with filmmakers, unlike television. So films, of course, everyone loves to do but in case we don’t get to, at least we get to work with filmmakers on this platform. It also gives us an opportunity to explore various genres that have not been touched before. I don’t think it’s a threat to the small screen as people will always watch TV.  As far as the big screen is concerned, yes, it is a slight threat. But I think people still go and watch movies.

Rahul Sharma

It’s an opportunity I feel, not a threat, this is the new change that has come and I feel its for the best. And it is serving the industry well. The TV industry is affected by it but both the platforms are different in many ways and the audience of both the platforms is also different.

Sanjay Gandhi

I have not yet worked on any OTT platform. The day I will get a good offer, I will grab it. I feel this is a wake-up call for TV  producers and actors.  The web is as good as TV in every way.

Amal Sehrawat

I don’t think there’s any threat to any platform. There are 3 platforms but don’t forget there are billions of people watching them, so there are enough audiences for all platforms. I acted in Vikram Bhatt’s web series Untouchables and presently I am shooting For Apoorva Lakhia’s series that has been tentatively titled ‘Raftar ‘.

Ankit Siwach

Since the time the OTT platform has gained a stronghold in the entertainment industry, it is nothing less than a boon for all of us, be it employment, creativity, storytelling or entering experimental zones. Having said that, no platform can “replace” the other. For example, cinema can never replace theatre, TV can never replace cinema, similarly, OTT can not replace the TV. There is an audience for all platforms, and all of them need to be catered to. I have worked in IDiva’s Dulha Wanted which was a Faraz Ansari directorial, it was a different experience for me as the shooting process in television is absolutely different than how we did in Dulha Wanted. I don’t think any platform can be a threat, till the platforms know their audience well.

Param Singh

TRP is going down but they have their own audience. And they won’t go that easily and cinema will always be cinema but with smartphones and with these apps like Netflix, Amazon, and all so people are really watching that because they are really busy in metropolitan cities while traveling. They watch content on the internet. So yeah, but all the three things are the three platforms, they have their own audiences. And that will change. And maybe it will change. TV shows the TRP might get down, get low, lower than this. And more of web shows will come up more digital platforms and apps might come up.

 Sanjay Gagnani