Written by: Dhiraj Chapagain - 2022007, Grade X
Posted on: 05 October, 2020
CoronaVirus, shutting down more than 200 cinema halls along with successfully performing movies has created a devastating scenario for all the sections of the economy including the film industry as a whole. All the shootings, premieres, festivals, and other entertainment events have been canceled or postponed due to the pandemic. The film industry is bearing a huge loss in terms of box office collection while magnificent growth can be seen in the audience rate and engagement on the streaming platforms. Many blockbusters such as “Aama” were postponed as the cinema halls closed.
Not only the box office, but this has also hugely impacted the actors as well as everyone included in making the film. Especially the crew members working on daily wages, it becomes a lot harder to sustain a life without any job or source of income. These were the impacts of COVID-19 on the industry, but looking at the bright side, It too has given opportunities to the industry and a breath of fresh air to the audience as it has helped young and aspiring filmmakers to step onto the field and work. In recent days, short films by young filmmakers are being directed and produced in huge numbers. The world has changed and now the stories need to reflect the change in them. While producers are skeptical about investing in huge budget films, young/newcomer filmmakers can capitalize on producing low-budget movies that are capable of reflecting our society. While these filmmakers capitalize on this situation, streaming platforms are increasing their production rate and actually producing content that is better than most of the big star cast movies. Streaming platforms are contributing to audiences, making them realize that a movie has a lot to offer than just star casts. In my opinion, the film industry is heading in the right direction. Although the situation is pretty bad for the financial status of the people working in the industry, with the increasing rate of short films with this quality and content, I think the industry is heading on the right path.
