Published 14:36 IST, November 16th 2019
Recovering Amitabh Bachchan doesn't disappoint KIFF; speaks insightfully on film trends
The role of cinema, claimed the veteran actor, has always been to entertain people and to draw large audiences to the big screen, and that should not change.
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Amitabh Bachchan shared his views on the future of cinema through a video speech at the closing ceremony of the 25th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) on Friday. The actor emphasized on the age-old tradition of large audiences going to cinema theaters to enjoy the entertaining allure of cinema together on the big screen. The actor spoke about this in contrast to the emerging trend of movies releasing on digital streaming websites and applications available on the small screens.
Big-B urged that movies should be released in the movie theaters first as the purpose of cinema is to reach out to the masses by involving them in a community activity like that of going to watch a movie on the big screen. The age of digital entertainment, with the evolution of Netflix, Amazon and many other digital streaming services, may prove to be a threat to movie theaters as the newer generations have access to the finest of films from all over the world at the tap of their fingers, he opined, adding that even though these digital platforms are revolutionizing in their essence, the tradition of viewing cinema on the big screen must live on.
The essence of cinema on the big screen
Amitabh Bachchan also called himself a loyalist to the tradition of going to watch movies on the big screen as he points out that the grandeur of classic movies like K. Asif's Mughal-e-Azam and Victor Fleming's Gone With The Wind can only be enjoyed by viewers if watched on the big screen. He also cited the example of films made by Satyajit Ray where the cinematography and poignancy of his storytelling can be seen in all its glory in theater screens as opposed to a small laptop or a mobile phone. Further, he added that in order to entice people to visit the theaters, the ticket pricing must also be reasonable and the content should be in accordance with their evolving tastes and interests.
The veteran superstar has recently finished 50 years in the Hindi film industry. His contribution to the world of cinema has earned him this year's Dadasaheb Phalke Award which is the highest level of recognition for an artist in the film industry. The actor had been absent from the inaugural ceremony of the Kolkata International Film Festival due to ill-health.
12:50 IST, November 16th 2019