KOCHI: Though Minister for Cinemas Saji Cherian has hinted that the government is considering reopening cinema halls in state, theatre owners are hoping that necessary permission will be granted if TPR falls below 10 per cent. TPR in state is hovering around 16 per cent mark and the government expects the figures to come down to 10 per cent in another two weeks. “If TPR remains high, we cannot put forth the demand to reopen cinema halls before the government.
However, we are hopeful of resuming screening of movies before Pooja holidays during October second week,” said Kerala Film Distributors Association president Ziyad Koker. He said the office-bearers of Kerala Film Chamber have already submitted a memorandum to chief minister and minister for cinema for considering relaxation on entertainment tax and fixed charges on power tariff of theatres.
Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala president K Vijayakumar said theatre owners have started maintenance and repair works of cinema halls which have been remaining closed for the last six months owing to second wave of Covid. Once theatres are reopened, many big movies which were completed in the last one-and-a-half years are likely to be released.
However, the producer of Marakkar —Arabikkadalinte Simham, Antony Perumbavoor, has already made it clear that the film will not hit screens when theatres are reopened. The much-awaited Mohanlal starrer will hit screens only once the audience comes back to theatres in full strength.
Another big-budget movie awaiting theatre release is Mohanlal-starrer Aarattu directed by Unnikrishnan B. The film is expected to be a mass entertainer. “Reports that ‘Aarattu’ will hit screens in October are not true. The post-production work for the film is going on. We are yet to take a call on the release date. Once theatres are reopened, we will watch the trend and a decision in this regard will be taken only after that,” said Unnikrishnan.
‘Ajagajantharam’ for a wide release
If theatres are opened in October, director Tinu Pappachan’s Ajagajantharam will hit screens all over
Kerala. It will be a wide release and the distributors are planning to release the movie over 320 screens if the Government gives a nod to reopen cinema halls before Pooja Holidays. The movie Ajagajantharam with Antony Varghese (Pepe) in the lead is Tinu’s directorial venture after Swathanthryam Ardha Rathriyil.