KOCHI: With Tamil superstar Vijay’s new movie Master likely to be released in January 2021, theatre owners in Kerala are looking forward to resuming screenings which had been stopped on March 10, 2020 in the wake of Covid-19.
The statewide distribution rights of Master had been bagged by actor Prithviraj and producer Listin Stephen in February this year since the movie was originally scheduled for an April release. However, a final call on reopening cinema halls will be taken by the state government, in the coming days. According to industry watchers, if indeed the government were to give the go ahead for theatres to resume screening, it will be an uphill task for theatre owners.
“Under the present circumstances, it is a huge challenge to reopen cinema halls. However, it is the state government which has to take the final call. If the words of Health Minister K K Shailaja can be taken as a cue, we are expecting a spike in Covid cases by this month-end. So, chances of a green signal from the government appear rather remote now,” said Rejaputhra Renjith, president, Kerala Film Producers ‘Association.
He said producers and exhibitors have put forth some demands before the government, which they believe are essential for the survival of Malayalam film industry. “ These include a waiver on entertainment tax and concessions on power usage charges by theatres even when they remained closed. The chief minister told us that a decision in this regard will be taken after the local body polls. It the demands are met and the government gives its nod, the owners will take a decision on reopening theatres,” said Renjith.
Liberty Basheer, producer and theatre owner, said a section of theatre owners has already expressed their desire to screen Master since Vijay is a huge draw here. “A section of owners want to go ahead with the screening of the movie, if it is indeed released on January 13. The producer of Master is likely to take a decision on December 23 on the date at which the movie will be released. The distributors (of Malayalam movies) are also keenly awaiting the film’s release, as a sort of test dose, to find out how people respond to the movie when theatres are reopened amid the pandemic,” Basheer said.
He said that some theatres need renovation including painting as well as repair work. “The theatre owners are also facing a huge financial crisis due to the pandemic. We cannot blame them for urging the government to reopen theatres,” he said.
Meanwhile, industry experts said another major challenge is to woo cine goers back to cinema halls. “We have seen the lukewarm response in Tamil Nadu when the theatres were reopened. Bringing back the movie-watching culture, the huge cheer and rush all depend on how fast we can overcome the Covid blues,” they said.