The aroma of buttery popcorn, the signature red plush seats, the excitement of watching a film in the silver screen and just enjoying a movie day out with friends and family goes unparalleled. Since the last 4 months, we’ve been patiently waiting to catch a movie on the big screen instead of our TVs and phones. And now, looks like we might not have to wait any longer! With the government’s Unlock 2.0 agenda ending on July 31, movie theatres might resume operations by August 1. But the movie-going experience BC ( Before Corona) and AC ( After Corona) will be a very different one. How? Well, read on to find out.
Karnataka Mulls Over Reopening Movie Theatres With 25% Capacity In August
BS Yediyurappa, Chief Minister of Karnataka is keen on reopening movie theatres in the state if the Centre permits. Stakeholders in the Kannada film industry informed TNM above the various guidelines that movie theatres would have to follow if it reopens. This includes mandatory sanitisation of seats after each screening, occupancy of cinema hall capped at 25% of capacity and alternate row seating. Interestingly a Karnataka photographer built a camera shape house in Belgaum.
However, film exhibitors state to TOI that at 25% occupancy the operational costs shall exceed the revenue. MR Rajaram, President of Mysore Theatres Owners Association informed TOI that thermal screening of moviegoers, sanitization of halls and seats, will need to be carried out and borne by exhibitors. He states that in the best interest of the business the government must permit at least 50% occupancy in movie theatres. Otherwise, theatre owners might shut shop and convert the premises into something more commercially viable.
In addition to this, most people in the industry are highly sceptical about how many people will risk visiting theatres due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka. Well, only time can tell when and how movie theatres in India shall reopen.
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Cinema Theatres Across The World Reopen With Unique Measures Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Are you curious to know how the cinema experience might look like when it finally reopens in India? Then let’s first look at theatres across the world that reopened for movie fans. Multiplexes across the world reopened with different measures. This includes PPE kits for staff, paperless tickets, staggered seats and show timings. It also includes thermal screening instead of frisking and online orders for snacks that must be collected at counters.
Berlin opened its theatres with plush animals as spacers on locked seats. A Shanghai theatre offer disinfection supplies like hydroalcoholic hand sanitiser and spray at the entrances. Audiences don protective masks and ‘seats unavailable temporarily signs’ are seen in a cinema hall there.
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Paris theatre has queue indications and social distancing markers on the floor at its entrance. In Spain, staff serving food in the theatres wear face masks behind the security screen. Wuhan residents watch a movie in a cinema hall where alternate rows are kept empty.
Japan has a drive-inn-theatre at Oiso Long Beach. Just like Japan, Mexico, Bangalore and many other destinations across the world opened drive-in cinemas to give moviegoers a safe experience. Since the pandemic is still far from over, cinema experience will certainly be a different one, once theatres reopen in India. Bollywood fans! In the meanwhile, catch up on Ajay Devgn and Kajol’s fun Sunday Brunch experience with our Chief Editor Kamiya Jani below.
