For the past four months, theatres in the nation are shut due to the Coronavirus pandemic. As the film industry is opening gradually, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has recommended to the Union Home Ministry that cinema halls all over the country be allowed to reopen in August.
I&B Secretary Amit Khare indicated this at a close-door industry interaction with the CII Media Committee on Friday. He said his opposite number in the Home Ministry, Ajay Bhalla, will take the final call. Amit said that he has recommended that cinema halls may be allowed to reopen all over India as early as August 1 - or at the latest, around August 31. The formula suggested is that alternate seats in the first row and then the next row be kept vacant and proceeding in this fashion throughout.
Amit also said that his ministry's recommendation takes into consideration the two-metrr social distancing norm, but tweaks it gently to two yards instead. The Home Ministry, however, still has to revert on the recommendation. Cinema owners, present in the interaction, however, pushed back and said this formula is unwise and merely running films at 25 per cent auditorium capacity is worse than keeping the cinemas shut.
Talking about the reopening of theatres, PVR Pictures CEO Kamal Gianchandani had earlier told a media agency, "If you go back to the Unlock 1 notification that came from the government, it has clearly mentioned that cinemas would open in Unlock 3, which is likely to happen in August. So, in that context, we are very hopeful and keeping our fingers crossed."
(Source: TOI)
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