Mumbai: New YouGov data reveals where people are watching new films and how the shift to streaming platforms may affect cinema attendance in a post-covid world.

When asked about the change in their cinema viewing habits since the pandemic, nearly seven in ten urban Indians (69 per cent) agreed with the statement, "My frequency of going to the cinema/theatre has decreased."

According to data, 44 per cent of people stop visiting the cinema hall because of  streaming films online, followed by 42 per cent of people’s preference to watch films at home. Nearly a third think going to a cinema is expensive or feel there aren’t any films worth going to the cinema are 32 per cent each. North Indians were more likely to say they do not go to cinemas because of the flexibility of streaming films online. Similarly, the 40+ group prefers to watch films at home.

When asked about the medium they have used most often to watch newly released films in the past six months, OTT platforms emerged as the most popular choice for nearly half of urban Indians. A fifth (22 per cent) said they watched new movies on TV and only 16 per cent went to the cinema or theatre to watch films during this period.

Looking at the data by age, 57 per cent between age group of 18-29 years were most likely to watch new films on OTT/streaming platforms in the past six months, while 40+ adults than others were more likely to watch them on TV (26 per cent) or in theatres (19 per cent). Notably, residents in South India were more likely to say they watched newly released films in theatres as compared to residents of other regions (22 per cent).

Even though OTT has gained precedence, not all hope is lost for theatres. YouGov data shows a quarter of urban Indians (26 per cent) said their frequency of visiting theatres has increased since the pandemic, with young adults between 18 and 29 years old echoing this sentiment most strongly.

An overview of people’s cinema viewing habits shows one in six urban Indians (15 per cent) said they go to a theatre to watch a film at least once a week, while eight per cent do so once a fortnight. Just under a quarter visit a theatre at least once a month (23 per cent), and nearly half visit it once every two-three months or longer than that. This behaviour is similar across all age groups.

Past behaviour shows cinema outings in the last 12 months have mostly been with friends or family. At 61 per cent, Bollywood films emerged as the most popular kind of cinema among people, followed by Hollywood or regional South Indian films at 45 per cent each.

When it comes to film genres, urban Indians prefer comedy (67 per cent), followed by action (54 per cent), and thrillers (51 per cent). Specifically, thinking about how they like to watch these genres, a majority (55 per cent) said they enjoy watching comedy films on OTT or streaming platforms. 19 per cent prefer watching them in a theatre, and 26 per cent prefer both the options. The higher preference for OTT platforms is uniform across genres, except for action films, where people were more likely to say they liked watching these films in theatres than on OTT platforms.

Commenting on the research, YouGov India GM Deepa Bhatia said, "After two years of the pandemic, theatres in India finally opened to full capacity this year. However, the rising popularity of streaming platforms remains a challenge, discouraging people to step out of their homes."

"While cost and home viewing habits keep many people away from the movies, it should be remembered that people go to the cinema to enjoy the experience. It is important for brands to understand the changing cinema habits and behaviours of urban Indians to re-imagine their marketing strategies and prepare themselves for this ever evolving relationship between films and consumers," added Bhatia.

Data was collected online among 1,004 urban Indian respondents in September 2022 by YouGov’s Omnibus using its panel of over 20 million people worldwide.