As India goes into the second phase of its Unlock 4.0, reopening multiplexes and cinemas may eventually become a costly affair. The pre-COVID-19 regular activity of watching a good movie on the ‘big screen’ is now a distant dream. And post-COVID, in the new normal, this is very much likely to become a costly affair.
A movie ticket which could be bought for about Rs 350 – Rs 500 could now pinch a hole in our wallet. From social distancing to wearing face helmets and masks to sanitising the cinema hall before every viewing will, of course, eventually come from the viewers pocket. Forget about a deluxe-sized popcorn and nachos, and snacks would be out of the picture.
In its latest Unlock 4.0 guidelines, the Ministry of Home Affairs has allowed open-air theatres to resume operations from September 21. As such, a few major multiplex chains like PVR cinemas, INOX Leisure Ltd and Carnival Cinemas have decided to invest in open-air theatres. If you are wondering what an open-air theatre is, well, its sort of like a drive-in which is normally shown in Hollywood movies like Notebook where you can drive into a parking lot where there is an outdoor movie screen. Still, in India, it will, of course, be commercialised, meaning that viewers will have to pay for it. There is the famous Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, which is an award-winning theatre and a London landmark as well. And there’s Gurgaon Talkies too.
As major multiplexes plan for an open-air theatre, India is expected to have lost 10 to 12 per cent of its screen count, including both independent and multiplex properties. This is attributed to the ongoing shutdown due to COVID-19 pandemic. And for the first time, the theatrical business has recorded zero revenues, and reports point out that Bollywood, alone, has lost over Rs 1,000 crore.
For theatres to survive closure with each passing day, cinema owners have taken to digital protests using hashtags like ‘Support Movie Theatres’ and ‘Save Cinema Save Jobs’.
