Karan Patel: Daily soaps have lost their importance

Karan Patel on OTT vs television: Daily soaps have lost their importance

Actor Karan Patel, who was recently seen in Raktanchal 3, said the rise of OTT platforms has changed the way audiences consume content, but he does not see all of that change as positive. In an exclusive conversation with India Today, Patel said binge-watching culture has reduced the importance daily soaps once held in people’s lives.

Patel also reflected on the legacy of Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, the television era that made him a household name, and why reviving the show is not as simple as turning it into a web series. He also spoke about meeting his former co-star Divyanka Tripathi after she welcomed twins.

Speaking about changing viewing habits, Patel said television has lost some of the importance it once had because of OTT.

The 42-year-old said, "I'll tell you what, I beg to differ. Because of OTT, I think television shows have lost some of the respect or rather, the importance they once had. There was a time when daily soaps were the centre around which families, especially women, planned their schedules. If Yeh Hai Mohabbatein were coming at 7:30 pm, dinner would either happen before then or after. Nothing could interrupt that. Now, with OTT, people know they can watch a show whenever they want. So the importance of daily soaps has faded. Today it's, 'We'll watch it together tomorrow.'"

The actor feels binge-watching has blurred the line between television serials and streaming content. "Today, everything is binge-watched. Series are binge-watched, daily soaps are binge-watched. You don't even know whether you're watching a serial, a finite series or something else because the viewing pattern has become the same. Earlier, the experience was different. We had weekly shows, then daily soaps came along. There was a clear difference. Until that differentiation comes back, I don't think OTT will realise its full potential. It's a huge platform, but it needs bifurcation for the audience too. Right now, we don't have viewers who think separately about television and web content."

While acknowledging the convenience that streaming platforms offer, Patel believes there is still value in appointment viewing. "I know people say it's convenient to watch whenever you have time, and that's true. But once you've moved forward, you can't really go back. That's why I'm saying—keep daily soaps where they belong. Let audiences come to them instead of making everything available instantly."