One hurdle done, many more to go

Even as industry cheers about Maharashtra cinemas reopening on October 22, trade says Sooryavanshi will be litmus test of audience’s interest in flocking to halls

Bollywood is abuzz with activity ahead of cinemas in Maharashtra reopening on October 22. Relieved filmmakers have started lining up their movies for their big-screen date, resulting in four to five releases each month. Despite the encouraging signs, trade analysts predict that theatres will face multiple challenges in the coming months. With the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for cinemas in the state still unclear, it is heard that movie halls will initially open only for the fully vaccinated at 50 per cent occupancy.

Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui will release on Dec 10, and 83 on Christmas

Buzz in the trade circles is that the bigger hurdle will be reviving the consumers’ habit of going to cinemas, given the shift in behaviour pattern and the reduced spending power post the pandemic. On that count, all eyes are on Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi, which will be the litmus test to determine the audiences’ attitude. Trade analyst Ramesh Bala explains, “Currently, releasing on the big screen is a matter of prestige rather than money. Producers [taking] the OTT route get a fixed profit, but with theatres, it’s a gamble. For the next three months, consumers won’t go for a movie every week. But there’s a big film every Friday. Some good movies will be affected. Films won’t be able to run for multiple weeks because of the [backlog]. After all these odds, one can’t be certain that the audience will show up.”

Sooryavanshi’s release will be followed by countless big-ticket movies, including  Bunty Aur Babli 2, Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, 83 and Jersey. Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi believes overcrowding isn’t a problem. “The only thing is that similar films shouldn’t clash. The Matrix [Resurrections] and 83 belong to different genres, so their clash is [not a cause of concern]. But Raksha Bandhan and Adipurush should avoid locking horns at the box-office.”

Bond comes to Mumbai on Oct 22

While No Time to Die opened in theatres across India last Friday, Maharashtra cinemas will have a date with James Bond on October 22. Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi says, “One would assume that the film will lose its charm three weeks later, but it’s tracking unusually high. Daniel Craig has amped up the action in his final film of the franchise, and people will flock to cinemas to watch it.”

Also read: 'No Time to Die' earns $119 million, 'Venom' sequel sets a pandemic record

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