We Grew Up With The Movies, Now The Movies Are Growing Up With Us

 Niyati Vira, Manjula Srinivas, Ninad Patwardhan, Manpreet Kaur

नया सवेरा नेटवर्क

There was a time when watching a movie meant planning it days in advance, checking newspaper listings, lining up outside the theatre, and praying the show wouldn’t be housefull and if it did, buying the cheapest ticket you got in ‘black’. Today, with a few taps, your ticket is booked, or better yet, you skip the theatre entirely, dim your bedroom lights, and stream the latest release in pajamas.

Our relationship with cinema has always mirrored the shifts in our lifestyles, and nowhere is this more visible than in the way different generations view single-screen theatres. For one, the survey we conducted with 86 individuals aged between 18- 65 years, across Mumbai, Thane, Delhi, and Gurgaon revealed that only 3.5% actively preferred single screens. In contrast, a staggering 51.2% preferred multiplexes, with 43% choosing both depending on convenience. But these numbers don’t just reflect changing infrastructure, they reflect a deeper generational shift in how we relate to the very act of movie-watching.

For the older generation, single screens were a gateway. They were affordable, accessible, and immersive. Often, they were the only source of large-scale entertainment available. Whether it was watching Sholay in a packed hall with fans whistling at every Amitabh Bachchan scene or queuing up for hours to catch the latest Rajesh Khanna film, the experience was less about comfort and more about community. These weren’t just places to watch movies, they were social hubs, places where emotions ran high and memories were made.

When asked about their memories of single screens, many from the older bracket in our survey described them with a certain fondness. For them, the dimming lights and dusty red curtains weren’t signs of decay but nostalgia. But even among them, there was quiet acceptance, perhaps even resignation, that the world had moved on. Their loyalty to single screens wasn’t blind; they too appreciated the recliners, the food courts, and the pristine sound systems of multiplexes. They just missed the soul.

“You can’t really compare them. Single screens had charm, but multiplexes have comfort. I go for comfort now… but I still remember the echo of the cheers in that old hall. It felt more alive.” — 64-year-old respondent from Mumbai

For younger respondents, who grew up when multiplexes were already the norm, comfort, convenience, and aesthetics were the deciding factors. A whopping 82.6% of younger respondents cited ambience and comfort as their top reason for choosing where to watch a film, while 75.6% mentioned location convenience. Malls and multiplexes allowed them to make an evening out of it, catch a film, grab dinner, shop a little. It wasn’t just about the movie; it was about the curated experience.

OTT platforms have only deepened this mindset. With 66.3% of respondents saying they hear about new films through social media and another 66.3% preferring to book tickets online, it's evident that technology has streamlined the cinematic experience to fit into a screen held in one hand. And when the same screen can deliver the movie itself,  in high-definition, at any hour, with a pause button, why bother stepping out of your home at all?

But this isn't about romanticising the past or condemning the present. It’s about acknowledging that both generations are, in fact, responding to the conditions of their time. The older generation valued collective joy because individualism wasn’t the default. Leisure was a shared activity, and cinema, by design, brought people together. Today’s audience, growing up in a faster, often more fragmented world, places value on efficiency and control. They want to watch what they want, when they want, how they want, whether on a 70-foot screen or a 7-inch phone.

And yet, something unexpected is happening. When films like Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Jab We Met, and Love Aaj Kal re-released in theatres, young audiences flooded in — cheering during dialogues they knew by heart. Many had seen these films in theatres as children, but were too young then to fully grasp them. Now older, having rewatched them countless times at home, they craved the thrill of experiencing them on the big screen again — this time, on their own terms.

The real question then is not whether single screens will survive, but what form they might take. Can they evolve to meet the needs of a generation that has grown up with endless choices? Can they retain their essence while embracing modern expectations? Or will they become relics, preserved only in photographs and wistful essays?

Perhaps the most poignant reflection came from a 21-year-old respondent who said, “I don’t mind watching a movie in an old theatre if the film is good. But I don’t want to compromise on sound or comfort. Why can’t we have both?” It’s a fair ask. And one that points toward the potential future of cinema, one where the warmth of the old and the innovation of the new don’t have to be in conflict.

यह भी पढ़ें | साठे की जज नियुक्ति सिफारिश पर विवाद

As we stand at this intersection, the horizon stretches wide. The generation after this one may not even see a difference between going to a theatre and opening an app, their relationship with cinema could be entirely mediated by AI-curated recommendations, immersive VR experiences, or even fully AI-generated films tailored to individual tastes. When algorithms know what story you want before you do, where does the collective experience fit in?

Maybe that’s the heart of the matter. For all its evolution, cinema has always been about storytelling, and stories, whether told in a single-screen theatre or an AI-powered headset, will always reflect who we are, what we value, and how we connect.

The older generation gave us stories we still remember. The younger generation is shaping how those stories will be told tomorrow. Three Contributors are from Flame University, Pune and Manpreet is from SOBD, Delhi.

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