In Telangana and Hyderabad, theatres are all set to reopen after a long shut down.
From the 24th of March, the Prime Minister of India, announced a nationwide lockdown shutting all public places including cinema theatres.
The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued standard operating procedures (SOPs.)
Guidelines for theatre opening in India:
There should be sufficient intervals between successive screenings at single screens, the SOP said.
Only packaged food and beverages will be allowed, and delivery of food and beverages inside the auditorium would be prohibited.
The seating arrangement inside the auditorium of the cinemas/theatres/multiplexes should have adequate physical distancing.
Seats would be marked ‘not to be occupied’ during the booking of tickets, online.
Those seats would be taped or marked to prevent people from occupying them.
Use of face covers and masks would be mandatory with adequate physical distancing of at least six feet in auditoriums, common areas and waiting areas at all times.
The purchase of tickets at the box office would remain open throughout the day and advance booking would be allowed to avoid crowding at the sale counters.
A sufficient number of counters at the box office should be open with adequate physical distancing norms to prevent crowding during physical booking of tickets, the SOP said.
There would be a thermal screening of visitors/staff at entry points and asymptomatic individuals shall be allowed to enter the premises.
The Government advised use of the Arogya Setu app for workers and visitors.
There would be no exhibition of films in containment zones.
The Telangana Exhibitors Association (theatre owners) welcomed the centre’s guidelines regarding the theatre opening.
Vijayender Reddy, the Secretary to Telangana Exhibitors Association, said “We expect that the Government will allow movie halls to run with 100 % occupancy by January and film collections too will see a huge jump.”
According to sources, in Hyderabad there are 220 movie halls including multiplexes and in Telangana there are 600 theatres.
In addition, depending upon the theatres, a total of 400 to 1,300 seating capacity would be available.
Balgovind Raj, owner of Sudarshan Theatre 35MM and Devi 70 mm said, all precautions would be taken for the safety of the audience.
Mr. Raj said, “We will mark X for every alternate seat and viewers will not be allowed to sit side by side. We are not expecting the audience to flock theatres immediately and it might take some time for them to start visiting theatres in larger numbers. Moreover, there are no big movies ready for release and we have to screen old movies only.”
Theatres in Hyderabad and Telangana would begin operation from the 15th of October..
Stay tuned for further updates.
