Several cinema corridor homeowners within the metropolis on Saturday mentioned they may wait for brand new content material to reopen their amenities, even after the West Bengal authorities allowed them to renew operations with 50 per cent seating capability.
Some single-screen proprietors have, nonetheless, restarted their operations in districts with previous movies.
Cinema halls within the state remained closed since May 1 as the federal government had imposed a number of restrictions to stop the unfold of Covid-19.
Film exhibitors within the metropolis are ready for brand new releases to renew screening after three months, Navina cinema proprietor Navin Chokhani instructed PTI.
“Covid protocols are in place in our facility. We are in touch with distributors and production houses as they will decide on the issue of new releases. Several films were not released due to the 2nd wave of the pandemic. We will hopefully take a call by next Wednesday,” he mentioned.
Satadeep Saha, the co-owner of Ajanta cinema and a neighborhood multiplex, mentioned a number of cinema halls aren’t but able to reopen this week as staffers have gone to their native locations and different states after the announcement of the closure in May.
“There is also no news about immediate big-ticket releases of Bengali and Hindi films. No multiplex or single screen facilities restarted their operations in the city. Around eight or nine exhibitors have reopened their halls from July 31 in the districts with old releases,” he mentioned.
Chokhani mentioned exhibitors want new releases to renew their operations and viewers won’t come to cinema halls to see previous movies. “We are in running condition as Covid protocols are in place after the reopening of cinema halls in October last year. We have carried out inspections in the auditorium so that health safety guidelines are followed. We now need an occasion such as big-ticket releases to reopen our facilities,” he mentioned.
Saha mentioned cinema corridor homeowners will take a choice on reopening by August 6 as new movies are launched on Fridays.
Priya cinema proprietor Arijit Dutta mentioned, “We will consider the prevailing situation and take a call on resuming operations.”
A spokesperson of SVF Productions, main Bengali movie producer and distributor of Bollywood movies, mentioned, “We are yet to decide about the releases and will decide by early next week.” SVF Productions, which additionally runs a number of multiplex amenities, is but to open any display screen.
“We will soon decide on this after considering all factors and sanitisation measures,” the spokesperson mentioned.
The West Bengal authorities on Wednesday allowed cinema halls to reopen from July 31 with 50 per cent seating capability and strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols.
