R. Madhavan has voiced his concerns about the modern-day movie-going experience, describing it as "traumatic" and highlighting numerous challenges that filmmakers and audiences face. In a recent conversation with Rosepod, the actor shared his candid thoughts on the difficulties of going to the theatre, especially for families, in a post-pandemic world dominated by streaming platforms and shorter attention spans.
Madhavan believes that watching a film in a theatre has become an ordeal, requiring a movie to overcome numerous hurdles to capture and maintain the audience's attention. He pointed out that filmmakers, actors, and producers are constantly encouraging people to return to cinemas, but the reality of the theatrical experience is often far from ideal.
One of the primary issues Madhavan addresses is the sheer effort required to get to the theatre. He mentioned the challenges of finding parking, buying tickets, and battling traffic. "Nowadays, a big challenge that we have is, earlier when we used to go to see movies in theatre there were only two options available for us to eat, either popcorn or samosa, or get something to drink. It was not a decision to be made." He said that simply finding a parking spot, buying a ticket, braving the traffic, and reaching the theatre on time is a challenge. "You reach the theatre and then you get hit by the smell of popcorn, which I'm not very sure are fresh most of the time. So these are the challenges my film has to overcome apart from being good in content," he said.
Beyond the logistics of getting to the cinema, Madhavan also criticized the disruptions that occur during the film itself. He lamented the days when once a film started, the audience remained engrossed until the intermission. Now, however, the experience is frequently interrupted by the glare of phone flashlights as people read menus or order food. He described the scene: "Suddenly, you are hit by a flashlight from somebody else's phone who is using it to read the menu. And then light comes from another place, as somebody has ordered pani puri while watching the film. So he has kept the phone on his shoulder, enabled the flashlight, as he is eating in darkness. So just imagine, we have to fight all this as the movie is playing".
Madhavan also noted the financial strain on families, particularly if the film fails to entertain. He said, "And if God forbid it has not engaged you, then the wife and husband are looking at each other and blaming — 'You brought me here to watch this?' It has cost Rs 1200 or whatever the price is. Then the father goes out early so that he can get the car out of parking early, otherwise he would have to wait in the queue for half an hour".
In light of these challenges, Madhavan emphasized the importance of filmmakers creating compelling content that can overcome these hurdles. He acknowledged that a movie must be exceptionally good to capture and hold an audience's attention in the current theatrical environment. Madhavan's observations highlight a growing concern within the film industry about how to revitalize the movie-going experience and ensure it remains a viable form of entertainment for audiences.
