Akshay Kumar did the heavy-lifting by releasing Bell Bottom in theatres, thus taking the lead in reviving the exhibition sector. Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi says that the thriller had all the makings of a blockbuster had it not been for the theatre shutdown in Maharashtra. “As a market, Maharashtra contributes significantly to the collections. Bell Bottom’s motive was to give movie halls [a boost], and it has delivered successfully on that count,” he says.

However, Rathi notes that the jumpstart provided by a single release is not enough to salvage the exhibition sector’s losses that have been mounting since the second lockdown in April. Especially when the state government continues to play the waiting game as far as the reopening of cinemas is concerned. “Two [big] markets are shut — Kerala and Maharashtra. The first [is reasonable] given the high cases in the state. But in Maharashtra, restaurants, schools, and local trains have reopened. Cinema owners are feeling singled out. One can’t dismiss the feeling that the state government has no interest in the entertainment sector,” he emphasises.