jahnavichowdary@cozytales

These days I’ve realised something strange.

I’m watching more dramas, shows, and movies on Instagram reels and YouTube shorts… than actually on OTT platforms.

And not even intentionally. It just happens.

If a show is good, within a day or two my feed is filled with all the “important” scenes , the emotional ones, the twists, the romantic bits… everything.

And before I even realise it, I’ve basically watched the whole show in snippets.

So when I actually sit down to watch it properly? I find myself skipping… forwarding… losing interest.

Because it feels like there’s nothing “new” left to see.

And that makes me wonder – What kind of watching even is this?

Am I actually enjoying the show? Or just consuming highlights like fast food?

Because the real joy of watching something was always in the build-up, right?

The slow moments.
The character development.
The anticipation.

Now it’s like we’re only watching the payoff… without the journey.

And then we say the show felt “okay” or “overhyped.”

But did we even watch it the way it was meant to be watched?

Also, another thought ‘Is this genuine love for a show?’

Or are people just breaking it down into viral clips for views…
without really caring that it might take away someone else’s experience?

I get that it helps shows gain popularity.
But at the same time, I’m sure there are many people like me, who end up not watching the show at all,
because it already feels “done” on social media.

It’s such a weird shift. We’re consuming more content than ever…
but experiencing it less.

-Jahnavi Chowdary