Theatres and multiplexes have welcomed the Unlock 5.0 guidelines announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday that allow the opening of cinema halls with 50% capacity from October 15. Theatres across the country were shut with no revenue for nearly six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Multiplex Association of India said in a statement that it wholeheartedly welcomes the union government’s decision of allowing cinemas to reopen across the country starting October 15. “Millions of movie lovers, employees of the cinema exhibition sector, along with the entire film industry were eagerly awaiting this announcement,” the association said.
The association, which represents all the multiplex chains in India, including PVR, INOX and Cinepolis, had appealed to the government on various occasions calling for the reopening of theatres on an urgent basis. It said last week that the movie exhibition sector had lost an estimated Rs 9,000 crore in the last six months. The sector, it said, directly employs more than two lakh people and provides employment to several lakhs indirectly.
Meanwhile, PVR CEO Gautam Dutta told ET Now on Wednesday that those coming to watch a movie will not have to wear masks in their seats while watching the movie, but will have to do so at the entrance, exit and lobby.
“You have to wear a mask while buying the food, but once you’re in your seat you’re free to not wear it and enjoy the movie,” he told ET Now.
He also told the business channel that all food being sold will be sanitised in UV cabinets.
The online ticketing platform BookMyShow also welcomed the decision.
“This move will bring immense relief to scores of employees across the sector which has been one of the worst-hit through this pandemic… We have been closely working with all our partners across the cinema industry to build measures for a safe and healthy movie viewing experience and are thrilled to welcome audiences back to the silver screens,” Ashish Saksena, COO–Cinemas of BookMyShow, told TNM in a statement.
“The health and safety of all - from cine-goers to cinema partners, production houses and execution agencies - will be of paramount importance and BookMyShow will uphold all SOPs as mandated for our users’ safe movie watching experience. We have been closely working with all our partners across the cinema industry to build measures for a safe and healthy movie viewing experience and are thrilled to welcome audiences back to the silver screens,” Ashish added.
A standard operating procedure (SOP) will be issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for the running of theatres to ensure safety. State governments will now have to individually give the industry a go-ahead to reopen.
“An urgent permission from the state governments to reopen cinemas in their states would go a substantial distance in ensuring that the cinema exhibition sector is able to quickly recover from the dire economic and financial impact of the epidemic,” the Multiplex Association of India said.
“We are committed to ensure a safe, secure and a hygienic cinema going experience for the movie lovers of our country, as always, we would continue to assign top-most priority to the health and well-being of our guests and employees,” the association added.