It has been over six months that cinemas have been shut across India  and it has to a stage where some starting point is needed. There have been date sets over the last two months with the authorities involved but they have always been dashed as the date got closer. The September meeting saw a date of early October and all hopes are being pinned on that but with has gone on previous occasions nobody really knows if the green light will be given.

The authorities in India seem to be following a different route to most of the world as cinemas were allowed to open at the same time as places of worship and eating inside restaurants but in India places of worship are open and restaurants can allow inside eating but no cinemas. Also its not as if all cinemas will open at once anyway as one the risk of Coronavirus is higher in some places compared to others and secondly there will be a lack of content. A country like China is just about getting to full capacity and that is 2 months after they first opened and with Coronavirus pretty much under control or at least that's what the rest of the world is told.

There are two big Hindi films awaiting release - SOORYAVANSHI and '83 -  and there are already talk that one of them is likely to go to OTT as the weight of both films is on the same studio. SOORYAVANSHI is a big film with a big star, a big director and the elements of a good Hindi film and this film going to OTT is unthinkable. This leaves '83 and this film needs the box office as it will hit huge negativity with the digital crowd because it has Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone and this negativity can only be conquered by good box office results. The trailer can be good but that will hardly stop the negativity and basically social media will give the result of the film even before it gets a premiere.

On top these films need over 200 crore recovery and that will not come from OTT. Basically SOORYAVANSHI is a film for cinemas and '83 needs the cinemas due to the present scenario facing the industry from social media but this only has a chance if cinemas open up fast. The exhibition sector has seen LAXMMI BOMB and COOLIE NO 1 go to OTT and cant afford to see another big film go the same route as it will just delay the recovery when cinemas open.