Actor 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.'" Karan even suggested a unique solution that, according to him, could restore the distinction between television and web content. "In fact, I was telling a friend recently that maybe OTT platforms should give viewers complete freedom, but only on Sundays. Let the episodes air Monday to Saturday at fixed times. If you miss one, you can't watch it immediately. Then on Sunday, make the entire week's episodes available to binge. That way, people still wait for the show through the week, and it creates a clear distinction between daily soaps and web series."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."On Yeh Hai MohabbateinAsked whether he missed the era that made him a household name, Karan didn't hesitate. "Of course I do. I'm proud that Yeh Hai Mohabbatein stayed number one consistently for six years. That's not a small feat. Even today, people remember the iconic scenes, dialogues and moments with my co-stars. You'd think it's been so many years, and people would've forgotten, but they haven't. The show is still being re-run, people are still rewatching it, and that's the beauty of television."The actor also revealed that there were conversations about reviving Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, but the idea never materialised because adapting such a long-running show into an OTT format isn't easy. "There were talks of bringing Yeh Hai Mohabbatein back in a new format, but I think it got lost in transition. Somebody wanted it as a web series, somebody wanted it to be a family drama. But you simply can't compress six years of storytelling into six episodes. Every character grew over those years, and the audience grew with them. You have to give viewers time to relate to the characters. That's how iconic characters are created—when people can see themselves in them. With long-format television, that relationship develops naturally."Karan also spoke about visiting his Yeh Hai Mohabbatein co-star Divyanka Tripathi after she welcomed twins. "I went to her house and met the babies. It was lovely to see her actually playing 'Ishima' in real life now. She was one of the most loved mothers on screen, and now she gets the chance to experience motherhood for real. God bless them."Yeh Hai Mohabbatein aired from 2013 to 2019.- EndsPublished By: Priyanka SharmaPublished On: Jul 21, 2026 11:53 IST