KOCHI: The cinemas, which have been the main entertainment hub for Malayalis, may soon enter the 'Red Data Book.' During the past decade, the number of cinemas in the state has come down by onethird.
In the first half of the decade, the number of cinemas registered in the state was around 1,400. "According to a survey conducted by us a few months ago, there are only 565 cinemas in the state. The rest, which could not survive the odds, had to close down over the period," M C Bobby, general secretary, Kerala Film Exhibitors Federation, said. "The pirated CDs, the government's failure to adopt measures to help the film industry stand on its own and various internal problems have contributed to the present situation," he said. The fact that it is the B and C class cinemas that are being closed down stresses the need for introducing wide releasing. Of the 210 cinemas under the Kerala Film Exhibitors Association, which is the organisation of A class cinema owners, only a few were closed.
"With the arrival of several television channels, the number of people going to the cinemas has come down. The mushrooming of pirated CDs has worsened the situation. You will get the pirated CD of a film within a couple of days after its release," P Mohanlal, general secretary, Kerala Cine Exhibitors Association, said.
"The only solution to the problem is wide releasing which will help the people in every region in the state watch the films in the initial days of release," Mohanlal said. The costcutting of the films will also be helpful for the survival of the cinemas. Many of the cinemas have been converted into shopping complexes and community halls. Some of the cinemas in the state are being rented out for wedding parties on Sundays. In Vypeen, a cinema is being given for prayer meetings on Sundays.