India cinemas reopen, hoping to lure back movie-mad fans
15 October, 2020
The films may be old, masks mandatory and the most common lavish menus absent, but Indian cinema-owners hope movie-lovers will still flock back Thursday when theatres begin reopening after a practically seven-month coronavirus shutdown.
The pandemic has clobbered cinemas around the world, but in India, it has upended a culture that treats movies as something of a religion, and its own stars as gods.
After the recent lack of several luminaries to coronavirus, cancer and even suicide - as well as a raging scandal over drug use in Bollywood - the world’s most prolific film industry is in need of some good news. But it may need to wait.
INOX Leisure Ltd, India’s second-largest multiplex operator, says the chain is only going to be screening old films when it reopens Thursday.
“Right now, what we will work on gets the confidence of men and women back by permitting them to know that the cinemas are safe and secure,” said Lalit Ojha, a regional director for the business.
A trip to the cinema remains an inexpensive pursuit in India, with less than 75 rupees ($1) buying three hours of drama, dancing and song in air-conditioned luxury. At high-end cinema chains like INOX, patrons can even get biryani or hot fudge sundaes sent to their recliners.
But with temperature checks at the entranceway, half the seats left empty for social distancing, and only a restricted selection of food, the knowledge now is a long way off from the luxuries previously available.
- Vicious circle -
Nervous producers have up to now refrained from lining up any big-ticket releases, with many pushing their films right to streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ Hotstar following pandemic closures.
“We are hoping to truly have a blockbuster release at Diwali,” Ojha said, referring to next month’s Hindu festival that always spells a bonanza for theatres and retail businesses.
Although analysts point to pent-up demand for the big-screen experience among fans used to watching a film weekly - India had practically 1,800 releases in 2018 - many might not brave the trip merely to watch old movies.
“It’s a vicious circle - persons won’t come to cinemas unless there is fresh content. And producers won’t to push out a movie without some guarantee that it'll do good business,” film trade analyst Komal Nahta told AFP.
“Ultimately, someone will have to have a chance and release a thrilling film,” he said.
A small number of producers are reportedly ready to take the risk, with at least one Hindi film, “Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari”, due for release on November 13 - Diwali weekend.
Top Bollywood producer Aditya Chopra is also getting ready to release “Bunty Aur Babli 2”, a sequel to a 2005 hit, concurrently, according to media reports.
But with India’s virus cases surging past seven million, the risk of infection remains strong, prompting authorities in Mumbai, the home of Bollywood, to place off reopening cinemas for the moment.
“Mumbai may be the heart of the film industry - if theatres are closed there, half the battle has already been lost,” said analyst Nahta.
In such uncertain times, if the rest of the cinemas are able to sell even half the tickets available - twenty-five percent of normal capacity - they can celebrate, he said.
“If they manage to fill 60 percent of the seats available, it will be exceptional news for the industry.”
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