EXCLUSIVE | Actress Kashika Kapoor on OTT consumption trend amid PM Modi's work-from home appeal: 'It's a bittersweet shift because...'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his recent speech encouraged work-from-home to save fuel and diesel amid fuel concerns. But what impact does it have on the Hindi film industry and cinema and OTT consuming audience? What will change in the entertainment landscape? Spilling the beans exclusively to Firstpost, actress Kashika Kapoor spoke in detail about what she feels about the work from home approach.

The actress said, "I think work-from-home culture has definitely changed OTT consumption in India, but it’s a very bittersweet shift. On one hand, audiences today have access to content from everywhere, at any time, in any language — which is incredible. People are consuming stories more personally now, and OTT has become a huge part of everyday life."

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Kapoor added, "But at the same time, I do feel somewhere the magic of the theatre experience has reduced. There was something truly special about dressing up, stepping out, sitting in a dark theatre with strangers, and collectively feeling every emotion together — the laughter, the silence, the applause. Cinema was an event. Today, because content is available instantly at home, audiences have become used to convenience, and that sense of anticipation has changed."

The OTT platform and its boom

"As an actor, theatrical releases feel very emotional because the audience experiences your performance on a larger-than-life scale. The impact is different. On OTT, people may pause a film midway, watch it while multitasking, or consume it casually between work calls. That changes the relationship between the audience and the performance too.

I think OTT is a beautiful platform and it has absolutely expanded opportunities and viewership, but I also believe theatres have a soul that can never truly be replaced. The energy of the big screen, the collective experience, and the emotional connection of cinema halls are something every actor deeply values. Ideally, both should coexist — because stories deserve both intimacy and grandeur."