'Cinema still the most loved form of leisure for Indians'

Survey data offers optimism for film industry that was among the last to recover from covid

- Lata Jha

Despite a deluge of entertainment choices across devices at home, Indians still love going to the movies, with nine in 10 preferring them to other out-of-home activities such as shopping, live gigs and adventure outings. In fact, 98% said the real cinematic experience comes alive only on the big screen, while a third attribute it to the presence of credible filmmakers, interesting themes and high-quality VFX.

These are the insights from a report by BookMyShow, based on a survey across 650 towns and cities to understand if movies on the big screen are still a mainstay experience in the outof-home leisure segment.

Out of the 5,000 respondents, 41% were Gen Z, while 59% were millennials and Gen X. Responses came from cities and towns such as Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Surat, Lucknow, Jammu, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Coimbatore, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar and Guwahati.

"The enduring love for movies over the years remains unshaken. First-day, first-shows continue as a sacred tradition for many fans, inspiring cheers at the sight of beloved stars on the big screen. The response to 'The CineFiles' survey reaffirms the enduring allure of the big screen movie experience in India," Ashish Saksena, chief operating officer, cinemas, BookMyShow, said in a statement.