New Delhi/Mumbai: Sushant Singh Rajput’s last theatrical release Chhichhore is among the films that will get a big screen re-release on Thursday as cinemas in several parts of the country ready to open after seven months in the shadow of a pandemic.
While theatres and multiplexes will remain closed in states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Chhattisgarh, they will open this week in several places, including Delhi and parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, with stringent dos and don’ts in keeping with the new COVID-19 normal.
Ushering in a new era of movie watching, the Union government allowed multiplexes, cinema halls and theatres to reopen from Thursday within the framework of a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs). The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) left it to states to take a final call on the matter.
PVR Cinemas, India’s largest film exhibitor with 845 screens in 176 properties across 71 cities, on Wednesday said 10 states and four union territories have given their go-ahead for the reopening of cinemas.
Accordingly, PVR will start operations in 487 screens from Thursday and hope that other states will soon give their green signal too.
The SOPs mandated by the Union government include one seat distance in halls, 50 per cent capacity, masks at all time, proper ventilation and air conditioner temperature settings at above 23 degrees Celsius.
The multiplex chain said it hopes to build customer confidence with an Evangelism’ phase which will give people a chance to experience its enhanced safety features first-hand. This phase will involve goodwill screenings for the company’s employees, health workers and the police force and their children.
The movie screenings will begin from Friday, October 16, and tickets will go live on their website as well as other ticketing platforms from midnight.
Like the others in the business, INOX Leisure Ltd said it has introduced security checks like mandatory masks and temperature checks besides staggered entries, intermissions and exits.
The theatre chain will completely rely on e-tickets instead of paper tickets and an all-in-one SMS with links for the QR code, auditoriums seat chart and access to F&B menu.
Cinemas have to deal with the double whammy of COVID fears and old content and have their fingers crossed as they prepare to rollout a different kind of movie going experience.
As theatres managements scrupulously sanitise their premises in preparation for the big day and hope for audiences to warily trickle back in, the fare is likely to be a mix of international, Hindi and regional language cinema but basically old titles.
It will take a while before new content returns. The release of two major Bollywood movies — 83 , about India’s cricket world cup victory, and Sooryavanshi starring Akshay Kumar — has been pushed to Christmas and next year, respectively.
PVR Cinemas CEO Gautam Dutta was optimistic the industry will emerge stronger and more robust.
Cinepolis India CEO Devang Sampat told PTI they had lined up an exciting bouquet of Hollywood and Bollywood hits of the past.
According to industry insiders, India has around 8,750 screens — 3,100 in multiplexes and 5,650 single screens operating mostly in Tier 2 and 3 cities.
Many cinema halls shut down even before the nationwide lockdown came into effect from March 25 and managements are hoping desperately to get back to work.
In Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called a meeting of theatre owners to discuss the last minute details before they open their doors to the public.
However, several key states such as Maharashtra have not yet taken a decision.
In Gujarat, for instance, cinema halls are likely to reopen from Saturday because theatre owners have not been able to reach an agreement with distributors on re-running old films.
In Chhattisgarh and in Punjab, the respective state governments have not yet given their permission for halls to reopen. (PTI)
