THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Cinemas urge government to allow them to reopen in compliance with the Covid protocol just like malls and other establishments. The owners call for financial aid to tide over the crisis amid mounting losses
Unorganised workers employed in theatres have been forced to take up odd jobs to make ends meet, while owners struggle to pay back loans and maintain their property without any revenue for one-and-a-half years
Thursday’s statement by Minister for Culture Saji Cherian ruling out the reopening of the theatres in the near future has crushed the hopes of theatre owners who have been hoping for Onam reopening. After a long gap, the government has given the nod to reopen malls and every other industry complying with strict protocol. Ever since the pandemic outbreak last year, hundreds of employees working in around 40 theatres in the district have been in dire straits.
Many of the theatres are unable to offer any support to their employees due to a lack of revenue. There are around 40 theatres with around 80 screens in Thiruvananthapuram. The pandemic and lockdown have plunged many theatre employees into a deep crisis.Biju A, who used to work in a theatre in Thiruvananthapuram for the past 25 years, had to take up odd jobs to support his family.
“I took up this job for the love of cinema but soon after the pandemic outbreak, things have changed for the worse for me and my family. All of a sudden, I lost my job at the theatre. I have a daughter and now I have no other way but to do odd jobs and support my family,” said Biju, who is one among the many who are struggling to make both ends meet.
It is learnt that as many as 8,000 employees are working at theatres across the state. Raveendran B, another employee at a theatre in the city, said the government should have given some financial aid for the theatre employees. “We work in the unorganised sector and there is no union or association to support us. Many people are left with no job and only a few have the good health to go for other jobs. It’s hard for people like us. Hope the government would at least give the permission to reopen,” said Raveendran.
Many theatre owners who have renovated their screens taking loans have landed in a deep financial crisis. “It’s been two years and life has been a struggle for me. I decided to expand and add more screens to my theatre because the single-screen theatre was not making much profit. I took a huge loan from the bank to expand but unfortunately, the pandemic struck us at the same time. I had to keep my theatre shut and the moratorium period granted by the bank would end soon,” said Neeraj Sasankan, a theatre owner. “There is no business and, in addition to the maintenance charges, I pay around `75,000 for electricity.
Though the government had promised to slash the fixed rates of electricity and tax waiver on property tax, it’s yet to happen. After reopening, it would take another three to six months to get back on our feet,” Neeraj added. With more movies hitting the OTT platforms, the future of theatres looks bleak, but the owners are hopeful that they would get back theatre audiences once they reopen. Joy M Pillai of Ariesplex SL Cinemas — a popular multiplex in the city — said the industry is still hopeful. “We hope the government would give them permission to reopen theatres at least after Onam. The industry is going through a bad phase and we are hopeful that the audience would come back to theatres for the big-screen experience,” said Joy M Pillai.
Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK) had approached the state government seeking permission to reopen the theatres and demanded the government to give priority in vaccination for theatre staff for safe opening. “We have given multiple memorandums to the state government raising a slew of demands and seeking permission to reopen. We hope the government will give permission to reopen the theatres soon,” said M C Bobby, general secretary of FEUOk.
IN A NUTSHELL
There are around 40 theatres with around 80 screens in Thiruvananthapuram
As many as 8,000 employees are working at theatres across the state
Theatres are unable to offer any support to their employees due to a lack of revenue
Many owners who have renovated their screens by taking loans have landed in deep financial crisis
Owners also worried bout popularity of OTT platforms