The future of filmmaking is to make the canvas bigger, something

Hearken, O children of generations yet unborn, and attend to the words of Sidharth Malhotra, who spoke of vision and the boundless horizon of human creativity: “The future of filmmaking is to make the canvas bigger, something you can't enjoy on your phones or computers.” In these words lies a meditation on scope, immersion, and the grandeur of art, a truth as enduring as the frescoes of antiquity and the epic performances of old, where human imagination reached beyond mere function to touch the soul.

Consider first the importance of scale in storytelling. Malhotra envisions a canvas so vast that it demands engagement beyond the narrow confines of personal devices. The ancients understood the power of spectacle: Greek amphitheaters, with their towering stages and open-air design, allowed tragedy and comedy to resonate across the gathered city, capturing both eye and heart. To expand the canvas is to deepen the impact, to immerse the audience fully, and to honor the art of narrative in its most expansive form.

The phrase “something you can't enjoy on your phones or computers” emphasizes the irreplaceable experience of presence. Art, like ritual or music in the temples of old, achieves its true power when the senses are engaged collectively and fully. Consider the awe inspired by the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s frescoes envelop the viewer, demanding contemplation, reverence, and engagement. Malhotra reminds us that certain experiences cannot be compressed, reduced, or digitized without losing their essence.

Malhotra’s vision reflects the continuing evolution of technology and artistry. As screens become smaller and content more portable, the temptation is to diminish the scale of creation for convenience. Yet the ancients teach that art flourishes when ambition meets mastery. Just as the architects of Petra carved monuments that dwarfed the observer, filmmakers must create worlds that cannot be fully captured on a tiny screen, demanding attention, awe, and immersion.

Consider the story of Sergei Eisenstein, who revolutionized cinema through montage, scale, and composition. His films were designed for the theater, commanding the viewer’s gaze and intellect, transforming narrative into a collective, almost ritualistic experience. Malhotra’s insight resonates with this tradition: the future of filmmaking lies in creating epic canvases that engage the senses, intellect, and emotion in ways portable devices cannot replicate.

From this reflection emerges a timeless lesson: the medium shapes the message, and the grandeur of the canvas determines the depth of impact. To pursue art at its highest level is to challenge limitations, embrace scale, and craft experiences that demand presence, attention, and contemplation. The small screen may inform, but the expansive canvas transforms.

Practical action flows naturally from this wisdom. Seek out art, storytelling, and performance in forms that command full attention. Encourage creators to innovate with scale, sight, and sound, beyond mere convenience or portability. Embrace experiences that require immersion and presence, for they cultivate appreciation, understanding, and wonder. The pursuit of grander canvases elevates both creator and audience alike.

Finally, remember the eternal truth: human creativity is amplified by ambition, scope, and the courage to expand beyond the ordinary. Sidharth Malhotra’s words are a clarion call: dream bigger, craft larger experiences, and honor the transformative power of art that cannot be contained, compressed, or reduced, for in the vastness of the canvas lies the true magic of storytelling.

If you wish, I can also craft a narration-ready version of this reflection, with rises and falls that emphasize the grandeur, awe, and heroic ambition embedded in Malhotra’s insight.