Amid rising OTT, 98% of Indians still trust theatres for 'cinematic magic'

The main reason for the love of theatre is the experience it provides, a report released by BookMyShow showed

Ninety-eight per cent of Indians believe that the real experience of a movie can only be brought alive on the big screen, a report released on Thursday showed. It added that 90 per cent of Indians consider movie theatre as their usual go-to option for out-of-home leisure experiences.

Online ticketing firm BookMyShow released its "The CineFiles - Decoding India's favourite entertainment choice – Movies on the Big Screen" report based on a survey of 5,000 respondents on its platform across 650 cities in India. It showed that nearly two in every three Indians think of going to a movie theatre at least once every fortnight or more.

The main reason for the love of theatre is the experience it provides. "74 per cent of respondents choose to watch a movie in the theatre for the immersive experience created by a larger screen and high audio quality," the report said.

"The enduring love for movies over the years remains unshaken. The first day, first shows continue as a sacred tradition for many fans, inspiring cheers, whistles and endless applause at the sight of beloved stars on the big screen," said Ashish Saxena, chief operating officer (COO) of BookMyShow.

The report showed that 35 per cent of the GenZ audience, born between 1997 and 2012, opt for the first day, first show.

Further, 26 per cent of the GenZ and 36 per cent of millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) choose the big screen experience for their movie-watching outing every week.

Interestingly, for 35 per cent of respondents, language or genre is not a deciding factor. They go to theatres solely based on the movie and its content. Moreover, 40 per cent almost always prefer to go for the premium experience in a theatre, opting for premium screens like IMAX, Insignia and 4DX.

Moreover, the report also highlighted that a majority of movie-goers plan ahead to watch a movie in the theatre. 74 per cent of respondents said they keep track of movies that interest them and plan at least three days in advance.

The rest, 26 per cent, go with spontaneous movie plans. 

Another 74 per cent of those surveyed said that they plan ahead to get a seat of their preference to watch a movie.