Maharashtra cinema halls to reopen from October 22, announces CM Uddhav Thackeray
In a meeting with film industry and theatre representatives, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said theatres can reopen in the state from October 22. Filmmaker Rohit Shetty was also a part of the meeting.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting to discuss the reopening of cinemas in the state on Saturday, September 25. In the meeting, he discussed the steps to be taken with film industry and theatre representatives. It has been decided that Maharastra theatres will reopen from October 22, if they comply with the Covid-19 protocols.
MAHARASHTRA CINEMAS TO REOPEN FROM OCTOBER 22
Earlier this month, the Multiplex Association of India appealed to the Maharashtra government to reopen cinemas. They stated that they have lost approximately Rs 4,800 crore since March 2020 and need theatres to reopen to save jobs. Now, in a meeting on Saturday, September 25, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray said that they will be allowed to reopen from October 22 on the condition that Covid-19 safety guilelines are followed.
The meeting was attended by filmmaker Rohit Shetty, Jayantilal Gada of Pen Studios, Kamal Gianchandani, President of Multiplex Association of India and CEO, PVR Pictures, Alok Tandon, CEO of Inox leisure Ltd, Devang Sampat, CEO of Cinepolis India, among others.
The Maharashtra government will soon issue the standard operating procedure to ensure cinemas reopen with proper Covid-19 rules and regulations.
MULTIPLEX ASSOCIATION’S APPEAL TO MAHARASHTRA GOVERNMENT
While theatres have reopened in many states once restrictions imposed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic were lifted, Maharashtra kept the theatres closed. In their appeal to the government of Maharashtra to reopen theatres, the Multiplex Association of India wrote that the unlocking of cinemas is imperative to save jobs.
A part of it read, “Films are the soft power of Maharashtra and cinemas continue to be the main form of entertainment for millions of Indians. The cinema exhibition sector, comprising of around 1,000 cinema screens across Maharashtra, directly and indirectly employs lakhs of people. Due to state-wide lockdowns, the cinema exhibition industry has run into an extremely adverse and hostile situation; it was the first sector to be shut down and will be the last sector to reopen (sic).”
Film industry appeals to government of Maharashtra for reopening of cinemas @CMOMaharashtra @rajeshtope11 @AmitV_Deshmukh #unlockcinemasavejobs pic.twitter.com/lgOyf82OZW — Multiplex Association Of India (@MAofIndia) September 7, 2021
Even Delhi theaters reopened a couple of months ago. Now, Maharashtra is all set to reopen them in October.
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