Cinema halls ready to welcome back patrons
   Date :05-Nov-2020

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By Farina Salim Quraishi :
 
More than seven months after the cinema halls went dark, cinebuffs have a reason to smile again as theatres are finally set to re-open from Thursday. After weeks of uncertainty, the State Government, finally, allowed cinema halls and multiplexes to re-open after they were shut down to curb spread of COVID-19 infection. Re-opening of theatres in ‘Unlock 5’ was expected as cinemas remained among the last public places to reopen. Though the Union Government had given theatres a go ahead last month, they remained shut in Maharashtra, one of the worst-hit states in the pandemic. As per the rules, the cinema halls will have to strictly adhere to the standard operating procedure that includes functioning at 50 per cent capacity, observe social distancing and sanitisation norms.
 
The safety protocols make masks mandatory, along with zero contact, physical distancing, temperature checks, and thorough sanitisation. The cinemas will have to follow checkerboard seating, which means every alternate seat will be left vacant to maintain physical distancing and eatables of all kind, packed or otherwise will be strictly prohibited inside. Upbeat yet cautious about the order, city exhibitors have welcomed the decision, though not many are up to screen any movie on Thursday, itself. Cinema Manager Joy Francis Xavier says, “PVR is excited to welcome back patrons and has extensive mechanism in place to ensure safety of cine-goers. The order came in the evening and though we will not be screening any movie tomorrow, we will be ready in a couple of days.
 
All our staffers have received extensive training in safety protocols and have detailed guidelines in place to follow the SOPs in COVID times. With UV mist machines, thermal scanners sanitisation measure and new seating arrangement in place, safety of everyone will be ensured.” Pranit Singh, Partner in Sudama Theater, however, expressed apprehension about some of the rules, the major one being the admittance norm. “The rules”, he says, “make it mandatory for cinema halls to scan the temperature and collect the contact details of patrons.
 
This takes a minimum of 2 minutes. Even with 50 per cent seating cap, it will take a minimum of 200 minutes to admit 100 patrons. How feasible will it be for a 120–minute movie! Also unlike multiplexes, single screens work with limited manpower, so the feasibility of some rules like sanitation, food and alternate seating is still being worked out. But, needless to say, it’s a very welcome and much-needed move,” he added. Harish Hiranwar, Manager, Buty Cineplex, however, is optimistic and ready to open the cinema hall in one day’s time, adhering to all the norms. “We have been waiting for the order for months and hence kept our auditorium ready for it. With a little more clarity about the norms, we are ready to open our doors the day after tomorrow.
 
We have a sprawling space so ensuring social distancing will not be a problem. Even the sanitisation process will be followed. When we are able to handle 1029 patrons easily, a half of that shouldn’t be very difficult,” he states confidently. Luring back cinebuffs will not pose a problem as people are curious and want to venture out, says the representative of a major cinema chain. “Though the re-opening of cinemas will not begin with a bang, but people are more than ready to venture out. With people being aware that following rules ensures one’s safety, people will be flocking to the cinema halls once the big movies start screening. Case point being a Dusshera release down South.
 
Dusshera being a big festival, people flocked in large numbers to see it. We will be ensuring responsible entertainment for our patrons, ie entertainment with safety. Though we will not screen any movie on Thursday and it will take us another week to get everything running in accordance to the rules, all the norms will be followed to a T.” With only small budget movies set to release in coming weeks and big-ticket movies headed to online streaming platforms, it will be sometime before the cinema halls get their top game back. However, with several blockbuster releases, including Akshay Kumar-starrer Sooryavanshi, Ranveer Singh’s ’83 , Radhe and ‘No Time To Die’ ready for release it’s only a matter of time before the good days of cinemas return - this time hopefully for good.