Here’s how theatre owners reacted to the government’s new unlock provisions
The coronavirus pandemic put the entire Bollywood industry on indefinite hold. Now, while several films have gone on floors, there still remains a big mystery over theatrical releases. Even though the central government has issued a permit to reopen theatres and multiplexes from October 15, trade analysts are uncertain whether this would result in people turning up in theatres to watch their favourite stars. Moreover, the Uddhav Thackeray-led government announced that theatres in Maharashtra will continue to remain shut till October 31. This makes sense since Mumbai has turned into a hub of sorts for the virus in the country. But, Arun Mehra, the managing director of Kolkata’s Paradise Cine believes that there still remains a long time for big-budget Hindi films to release on the big screen. He feels that until all the screens are available across the country, “no big film will release theatrically”
On the other hand, Kamal Gianchandani, CEO of PVR Cinemas, is confident that the audience will be back once the content flows within three to four weeks of the reopening. He said, “The state is the torchbearer of the film business and we are confident that if theatres open in Maharashtra even by October end, it will be a Happy Diwali.”