Cinema & the new normal after the lockdown

Jyothi Venkatesh

With cinemas all set to reopen in several states all over India from October 15, after an inordinate never ending break due to the COVID 19 pandemic, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued certain SOP’S that cinemas and viewers will have to adhere to. The I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar has gone on record that he has allowed 50% capacity in cinema halls, which means skipping one seat and sitting. Also airing Public Sector announcements and wearing masks before the film starts and during the interval will be mandatory.

The Minister has said that only packaged food and beverages will be allowed. Does it mean that a patron can bring from his home hot piped food packed at home and water like before instead of being frisked by the security and asked to remove them at the entrance just because the food counter cannot sell these items at exorbitant rates to the consumers?

Also there will be only three shows a day and not five to six like earlier and the theater guys should see to it that there is sufficient time gap between successive screenings at each screen as well as across screens in a multiplex. Which means that the commencement time? Interval and end time of two shows at a multiplex cannot coincide to avoid crowding too. Also multiplexes should have staggered shows to ensure sanitation, which means no back to back shows.The Audis also have to be sanitized after every screening and the managements shall also observe physical distancing and prevent crowd in the food and beverage areas.

According to Mr P.V. Sunil, M.D, Carnival Cinemas, the good news is that, to start with, the ticket rates will be slashed to attract more footfalls. Also tickets will be given free to doctors, front line COVID warriors and cops. In the beginning, when you buy two or more tickets, you will get to watch the next film free. Couples or family can book seats together and the adjoining seats will be kept vacant or else romance will be nipped in the bud and couples will stop coming to the theatres. There will be strict adherence to the 50% occupancy clause and no extra tickets will be sold even to accommodate family members. Finally, for the safety of the audience, there will be enforcement of all government SOP’s