Manoj Bajpayee On The Impact Of OTT On Theatres: It Has Been Quite A Disruptor

Manoj Bajpayee is gearing up for the release of his film Bhaiyaa Jii. The film will mark the actor’s 100th project in Bollywood. Apart from featuring in movies, the actor has also starred in several web series and shows. In a new interview, the actor shared how OTT changed the landscape of cinema during the pandemic. 

OTT has been quite a disruptor, says Manoj Bajpayee 

Manoj Bajpayee, in a new interview with IANS, spoke about how the advent of OTT changed the landscape of entertainment. He called the platform a ‘disruptor’ and claimed that when the world shut down, it was the only form of entertainment left. He also shared that the footfall of cine-goers has decreased because of the OTT boom. 

He said, “OTT has been quite a disruptor. When the world was completely shut down, OTT was the only mode of entertainment. It's such a vast world where you can watch anything from everywhere, and nothing is left to watch if you sit down and explore the medium.” He added that OTT has ruled the entertainment for more than 2 years. He said, “For a good 1-2 years, OTT ruled entertainment, and when theatres gradually opened up, people lost the habit of going to the cinemas because of the conditioning over these one or two years. But, slowly, things are getting better, and we are getting to a place where the cinemas are finally reaching pre-Covid levels in terms of footfall.”  He added, "We still aren't there completely. The efforts have to be focused, and we need to think strategically and creatively as artists to dole out compelling stories.” 

Manoj Bajpayee says groupism is the ‘key reason’ for Bollywood’s downfall 

In an interview with Pinkvilla, Manoj Bajapyee opined what has changed in Bollywood over the years. The Satya actor reminisced the time when the likes of Raj Kapoor, Manoj Kumar, and Bimal Roy ‘would gather in the evening’ along with ‘new actors, music directors or successful music directors, lyricists, and director’s associate directors.’ He also recalled people coming from all parts of Mumbai and being ‘cordial’ with each other. He added, “An alien industry was based on a fraternity.”