OTT Platform and Dynamics for Contemporary Indian Theatre

Abstract

Needless to say, Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the structural formations in various sectors the world over. Theatre is not an exception to it. The restrictions on public activities shifted directions from established ways to least familiar ways, and the rise of OTT grasped gazes and theatrical live performances of plays in theatre replaced by the performances on OTT or virtual platforms, no doubt it has given an alternative to the theatre industry to some extent. Has the OTT platform successfully assembled a genuine sense of theatrical aesthetic? This question often arises when the extensive popularity of OTT is witnessed everywhere. Likewise, is OTT a future of entertainment? The objective of this research article is to explain how digital streaming platforms have started showing their impact on Indian theatre in particular. How young minds are preferring this mode for entertainment. The gradual shift of presentation from stage to digital platform and its growing impact on theatre industry is the central argument of this paper. The research conducted in this relation comes with the findings that large numbers of viewers agree that over-the-top (OTT) platforms can be an actual menace to the theatre industry. There are a number of factors to claim that OTT is a threat and at the same time, one cannot reject that OTT has become the largely preferred medium in India and across the world for visual content. Theatrical dimensions have entirely altered with OTT since one can now watch digital performances conveniently on a laptop or mobile device. Additionally, the audio and visual quality, sound effects, and accessibility of forward and backward give extra and fascinating features. Plays are designed to be staged performances, and we all know that a play's performance is its heart and soul. Live performances satisfy the stage's requirements and are the lifeblood of the theatrical industry. These qualities are in reality, artistic and natural. The post-covid world's artificial artistic world development may never fully satisfy the aesthetic worth of any creative form.