The pandemic has caused a significant shift in how people consume content, with the growing popularity of OTT platforms leading to a reluctance to spend money on watching movies in theaters. According to Sri Crazyminds, speaking after his film editing session at the Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF), the availability of everything on mobile phones post-lockdown has made it challenging to capture people's attention. Attention spans have decreased to just twenty seconds, making it difficult to motivate individuals to leave their homes, drive to a theater, and spend money on tickets and snacks for a movie. As a result, the content must be compelling to entice viewers to venture out for a big screen experience. Without strong content, audiences may opt to wait for the film's OTT release. The success of Kannada movies hinges on the quality of their content, with Malayalam cinema setting a high standard. The divide between big-budget commercial films and content-driven movies is significant, and a well-crafted trailer is crucial to attracting theater-goers. With legal access to films on OTT platforms shortly after release, piracy has become less of a concern. Releasing a movie today requires a substantial budget, and the competitive landscape is crowded with choices, leading to audience confusion. Additionally, there is increased competition among regional film industries, with Malayalam films joining Telugu and Tamil movies in the market. Passion for native languages may also impact the industry's success.

Approximately 400 movies are submitted to the censor board for approval, but only about 200 make it to theater screens. I believe these factors collectively represent the core of the issue.