Don't think anyone will venture into cinema halls till next year: Tisca Chopra

Actor Tisca Chopra believes it is unlikely that people would be willing to step into a cinema hall for at least a year in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

The actor said in the coming days, a lot of the content will be heading directly to the streaming platforms, with the exception of the big ticket films.

"A lot of the content will go direct to OTT platforms. It is the best time for OTTs because everyone is on some or the other app or platform. I think the smaller, mid-level films will go direct-to-OTT.

"Those who can't sustain, who borrowed money to make films and are paying interest on that money, will necessarily have to encash the films they have made," Tisca told reporters over Zoom call.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced the extension of the nationwide lockdown for another 19 days till May 3 to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease.

So far in India, there have been 10,363 confirmed cases with 339 deaths due to COVID-19, as per the Union health ministry data.

Tisca said under the current circumstances, people will be scared to converge at a public place and theatres will be definitely facing the brunt as a result of this.

"The big ticket experience films, that can wait for six months or a year and a half, might release after a year. I don't think anyone is venturing into a cinema hall for the next year at least... Right now no one knows enough about the disease.

"So, I am not putting myself in a situation where I am in a closed room with 500 people, where there might be a huge virus load in the air. Till such time as there isn't a vaccine found for this, no one is going to enter a theatre," she added.

The actor currently stars in the web series, "Hostages", which made its TV debut on Star Plus.

Tisca, who plays a doctor in the Sudhir Mishra-directed Hotstar Special, said the dilemma faced by the healthcare workers today is similar to what her character encountered on the show.

"I see the doctors today doing exactly that. So many haven't even met their families, they are staying in hotels, putting themselves at risk everyday. I can't even imagine their condition.

"In 'Hostages', my character was confronted with a choice right on the centre of her being: endangering the life of a patient and choosing between the life of her family. Strangely, the doctors today face a similar situation. If they go back home, they endanger their family, if they don't go to work, they won't be able to take care of the patients," she added.