Actress Ayesha Raza Mishra has candidly shared her perspective on why 1990s television shows have a lasting appeal, contrasting that with the current struggle of content to capture audience attention. She attributes this shift to the pervasive influence of constant scrolling and reel consumption.
Changing Attention Spans
In an interview, Ayesha noted that audiences in the past could comfortably watch a three-hour film without distractions. Today, however, viewers find themselves toggling between movies and their phones.
“The attention span has reduced a lot. You cannot even focus on watching a movie. Now, you have to keep looking at your Instagram, then you’re watching a movie, then you’re looking at your phone, then you’re watching a movie,” Ayesha explained.
She emphasized that the rise of reels has changed the landscape: “Everything is because of reels. The scrolling, if you don’t engage within the first 2 seconds, you’ve moved up.”
Impact on Storytelling
Ayesha expressed that the pressure to capture viewer interest quickly has transformed the way stories are told.
“In a series, you have to work hard. You have to understand the story. In the first episode, you have to grasp what the person is saying. What is the story?” she pointed out.
Commercial Influences
She also raised concerns about how commercial considerations increasingly influence storytelling and casting decisions. While acknowledging that this is a natural part of the medium, Ayesha stated that it negatively affects the creative aspect of storytelling.
“Unfortunately, commercials are dictating your stories. Commercials are dictating your casting. Which is a good thing. It’s a commercial medium. But there is a creative side to our medium which is being, I feel right now, neglected.”
Ayesha believes that bringing back original, rooted narratives is essential for restoring strong recall value in storytelling.
“So, I think that let’s get back to our stories. Our stories of our country, stories of our people, stories of our land, if we make them, they will be 100% recall value,” she remarked.
The actress will soon be seen in Netflix’s “Single Papa,” alongside Manoj Pahwa, Kunal Kemmu, Prajakta Koli, and Neha Dhupia.