Intermission

In the meantime,‘now playing at a multiplex near you’ is passé phrase. Parking lots wear a deserted look. Ticket counters don’t buzz. The halls are empty,and canteen food’s getting stale. “All over India,the estimated loss per week for multiplexes has been calculated at Rs 9 crore,” says a source. Scoot to any of these – Fun Cinemas,Fame,PVR,Big Cinemas,DT,and they stand dry and dull. “Shows have been either cancelled or reduced,we’ve done away with late night shows for the time being,” adds the source. Managers at DT and Fun Cinemas inform about the setbacks to business. “We hardly have a 15 to 20 per attendance,” they say. At PVR,English movies have been brought in,but that also doesn’t help. “However,if we look at the bright side of this lockdown,then flops like Tasveer,Aloo Chaat and Jag Jeondeyan De Mele have done decent business because these are the only films running!” laughs Devendra Gusain,assistant manager (operations) at Big Cinemas. While there was news of releasing hit films on single screens,Vinay Gambhir,Batra Cinemas manager says no intimation of this sort has come their way. “Why would they want to and who would watch these? The television is showing everything” he makes a valid point. With DVDs,especially the pirated ones easily available,there is no incentive for cinegoer. “Does something like a cinegoer exist anymore? Till the multiplexes don’t bring down ticket and snack rates,no one will flock to the cinemas to watch a film,” reflects Sunny Deol.

The situation is grim,with 10-15 per cent shows being cancelled every day and ticket and snack sales down to single digit percentile. Also,there’s a blanket gag order on talking to the media. Reportedly,there’s another meeting soon,let’s hope they ‘release’ something! .