Cinema Halls To Start Again With New Guidelines in Maharashtra

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Mrunal Jadhav

Pune, October 17, 2020: Cinema halls in the state are set to reopen soon along with everything else. Theatre operators will be issued necessary guidelines said Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The theatre operators have also started preparations.

From the last seven months, cinema halls are closed in the state. Around 15 to 20 big Hindi and Marathi films are waiting for theatrical releases. The producers have suffered losses worth crores of rupees. Considering this, the Maharashtra government is following up with the multiplex operators and cinema hall operators to start cinema halls. And finally, the new guidelines will be issued to reopen theatres across Maharashtra. 

These guidelines will help to prevent the spread of Coronavirus infection. The number of audiences in cinema halls, clean washrooms, seating arrangements, the distance between two people, an inspection of every person coming and sanitization in the cinema halls are the points which will be considered and kept in check.

Cinema halls may start before Diwali and this decision of the Chief Minister has created a new hope among the multiplex, cinema hall operators and many have started preparation in this regard.

“The decision to start the cinema hall has been welcomed. However, the regulations may stipulate that only half seats will be made available. Only one or two screens will be on for shows. The questions that arise is whether to screen big films like Suryavanshi on fewer screens with limited audiences? And what if a new film does not come up soon? Multiplexes will work with fewer employees. Therefore, it will be a challenge to continue the working of multiplexes even after the regulations are issued”, cinema hall owners said.

Government guidelines will include-

1. Count of audiences

2. Clean washrooms

3. Seating arrangements with social distancing

4. Checking of people entering the cinema halls

5. Sanitization 

Will theatres for plays also start?

Along with the reopening of cinema halls, theatres will also start. The guidelines of cinema halls will be applicable for theatres too and plays will be performed in front of half audience only.