‘Please lower the ticket prices’: Gajraj Rao cites OTT boom and high ticket prices for poor box office performance

The recent slump in Bollywood has been quite noticeable. The box office failure of this year’s films, most recently Salman Khan’s Sikandar, has triggered debates on uninspired storytelling, with some wondering if this is just a phase in the industry or if Bollywood has hit rock bottom. Actor Gajraj Rao, best known for his role in Badhaai Ho, weighed in on the matter, citing reasons such as the OTT boom and skyrocketing ticket prices as its causes.

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In a recent conversation with ANI, he said, "Thanks to the digital revolution and OTT platforms, stories and films from around the world that we previously saw only at film festivals or in DVD libraries can now be watched at home. This is a big reason why people now have so many more options. Earlier, the choices were limited...Abhi suddenly OTT ke baad aisa ho gaya hai ki aadha kilometre ka buffet laga hua hai, toh darshako ke liye bohot acchi baat hai ki unko duniya bhar ki kahaniyan dekhne mil rahi hain (With OTT, there is a buffet spread out of half a kilometre, it is good for viewers because they get to see content from all over the world).” Rao says it is reasonable that high expectations have been set on Bollywood to showcase “different” stories.

He also added that a trip to the cinema now breaks the bank, with the heavy price tag on tickets, accompanied by food that goes beyond snacks, converting cinema halls into “restaurants. “Cinema should feel like cinema. There should be no disturbances. Going to the movies means a good film, a good story, and tasty popcorn."

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"It's very important that cinema hall owners bring about a revolutionary change. Reduce some of the luxuries and cut down on the food options a bit, but please lower the ticket prices. If ticket prices go down, middle-class families will want to go to the theatre again," he continued.

While he does acknowledge the roadblock that the industry has hit, Rao does implore the audience not to blame the filmmakers too quickly as they are trying hard. "Even in the 80s, 70s, and 50s, bad films were made,” he said, adding that there is good cinema today, citing the example of Akshay Kumar-starrer Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh.

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