World cinema celebrated its 100 years in 1995. Two years later, we introduced the country’s first multiplex, PVR Saket, sparking the cinema revolution in India. By 2047, the cinema industry would have undergone another transformation, revolutionising how we watch movies, once again.
By 2047, India’s GDP is expected to cross $30 trillion, and reports suggest 50% of the economy is expected to be driven by the services sector, particularly the creative economy including cinema, content, and various forms of “phygital” entertainment.
Our changing behaviours and the rise in technology will influence the theatrical experience. In my view, this is what a movie-going experience in 2047 could be:
Cinema will be around forever. Cinema exhibition is an industry that has passed the test of time. The moving picture, as it was called, was invented in 1895—for more than 100 years, cinema has survived, evolved, and remained in the face of advancing technology, cyclical business trends, and changing consumer habits. If I can say one thing with certainty, it is that in 2047, when India as a country is thriving and is at its peak as a global powerhouse, cinemas will still be standing.
Cinema will always be a part of India’s DNA. For us Indians, a visit to the cinema is not just about watching movies. Our societal behaviours and cultural norms are such that we want to experience life together more than alone. For us, experiencing films is a part of life.
We don’t consume films like the rest of the world. We laugh, we cry, we dance, we whistle. I truly believe in escaping into the world of cinema, and watching a movie with your loved ones is a celebration and an emotion that will always be ingrained in us.
Technology will enhance the experience. Cinemas are already evolving with technology. And in 2047, they will continue to do so and become completely immersive.
The screens will be bigger and clearer. Sound will be more lifelike where a whisper will feel like a real whisper.
Visuals won’t be restricted to the screen itself. Much like what VR offers, we will find ourselves inside the world of the movie—where the immersive experience is sensory. We will be able to feel, breathe, and move with the action of the film. We will enter the world of the story and still enjoy it as an audience.
Personalised shared experiences will emerge. Rapid technology developments will enable people to watch a movie together despite language barriers and visual preferences. I will be able to watch a movie in 2D with English subtitles while my wife watches the same film next to me in Hindi or Gujarati and in 3D.
AI will improve the quality of film-making. Generative AI tools will democratise movie making. When everyone can make films, the quality that we go out to see or even consume on platforms that we pay for, will have to improve on every level. And given human nature, they absolutely will. AI will also allow film-makers to learn and experiment with their storytelling before they actually make the film. This in itself will also improve the quality of films and other content.
The core themes of simplicity and emotion will dominate. While big films with VFX and action will continue to be frontrunners, human storytelling will make a huge comeback.
Spectacle and emotion will merge like never before. People’s demand for both types of films will be on par, if not more, for simpler and more emotionally-driven stories.
Globalisation of entertainment. Global storytelling will find a platform like never before. We will soon reach a tipping point, where there’s no US content, Indian content, or Chinese content, but content created across borders with various talents from around the world. Stories and cultures will blend to create universal narratives. And I am betting that Indian stories and storytelling styles will be leading the way.
Greater access to immersive content. Like the outbreak of television sets in the 1950s and 60s, high 5G/6G data penetration will create greater accessibility of content to small screens. This, in turn, will generate greater demand for access to immersive content experiences. And that will lead to massive growth for cinema-going and other collective viewing experiences.
Looking ahead, cinema will continue to be the No. 1 mass entertainment destination for India@100. And India’s youth, its viewers, content creators, creative technologists, and entrepreneurs will usher in new paradigms for the cinema to be a core part of the Indian lifestyle and cultural ethos.
The author is Managing Director, PVR INOX Limited. Views are personal
