Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj has lamented that cinema of "heart and sensibility" is taking a severe beating in theatres amid the rise of OTT platforms and shifting audience habits. In a recent interview, he described the current phase of filmmaking as "very strange and difficult," noting that meaningful films struggle to secure funding and draw crowds due to compressed theatrical windows and high ticket prices.

Bhardwaj pointed out that producers now face a dilemma where projects meant for OTT are pushed to theatres first, and vice versa, leading to "good films getting beaten" at the box office. He recalled how, two decades ago, it was easier to finance and release acclaimed works like his Haider, Vikramaditya Motwane's Udaan, and Anurag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur, which resonated with discerning audiences despite modest initial returns.

The director highlighted the impact of OTT, where films arrive on streaming services just eight weeks after theatrical release, forcing filmmakers to employ aggressive tactics to lure viewers away from waiting at home. Rising ticket costs exacerbate the issue; Bhardwaj was stunned to learn friends paid ₹1,900 per seat—totaling ₹6,000 for three—in Delhi for one of his recent films.

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Vishal Bhardwaj, known for his poignant storytelling in films blending Shakespearean adaptations with Indian sensibilities, expressed admiration for contemporaries like Motwane and Dibakar Banerjee, whose works now largely premiere on digital platforms.​

Bhardwaj compared the present challenges to past disruptions like satellite television, which shortened theatre-to-TV gaps to five or six months, but stressed that today's dynamics uniquely disadvantage "cinema of the heart." He called for a "revolutionary step," though uncertain if it would emerge from a film, new medium, or industry shift.

This critique comes as Bhardwaj's latest release, O Romeo, underperformed theatrically, underscoring broader trends in Bollywood where content-driven films compete against high-octane entertainers designed for immediate buzz.

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