Mumbai: A day after the Maharashtra government announced reopening of religious places and more classes in schools, CM Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday approved the reopening of cinema halls and auditoriums in the state from October 22. A detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) is being compiled and will be issued in the next few days.

The decision was taken following a meeting of Thackeray with filmmakers, members of the state Covid task force and senior officials. Cinema and theatre professionals welcomed the announcement. Stage artistes were especially pleased that theatre reopening was advanced from the earlier appointed date of November 5.

Movie theatres and auditoriums are one of the last few sectors to reopen in the state.

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Mumbai: CM Uddhav Thackeray has approved reopening of cinema halls and auditoriums sin the state from October 22.

Cinema halls and thetares were reopened in November last year after being shut since March 2020 and were shut again in April 2021 after the second wave hit the state. Theatre owners, filmmakers and artistes had been demanding the state allow theatres and auditoriums to function. However, the MVA government said it was treading cautiously due to the fear of a third wave. Senior officials said though SOPs are still being worked out, it is mostly likely that these places will be asked to run at 50% capacity.

However, there is still no clarity on whether only fully vaccinated individuals will be allowed entry as most mutliplexes are inside malls and only fully vaccinated people are allowed inside malls.

Birendra Nath Tiwari, president of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees, said, “Viewers have missed the experience of watching films on the big screen for months. I thank the CM and urge cinema hall owners and employees to observe all Covid-related precautions.”

Theatre actor-producer Makarand Deshpande, who attended the CM’s meeting on Saturday, was “incredibly happy.” He said, “Theatres are our temples. I am especially pleased because live performers and backstage artistes, who were out of work during the lockdown, can now resume their livelihoods. Actors can make their way to OTT platforms. But what do technicians and stage professionals do? I wish the audience arrives vaccinated because everybody, performers and audience, should be healthy.”

Another participant at the meeting was actor Aadesh Bandekar, who as Shiv Sena member had placed the Marathi industry’s concerns before the CM. He said, “Now theatre authorities as well as audiences should follow all SOPs 100% to ensure we do not face another scenario of closure. Unlike cinema, theatre is a live performance. Moreover, artistes and technicians travel from one venue to another, often on the same day, for shows. The risk of infection must be controlled.”

Welcoming the state’s decision, Nitin Tej Ahuja, CEO of Producers Guild of India, said, “Producers can now start planning for theatrical release of their films, many of which have been ready for quite some time now. The extended shutdown in one of the most important territories for box-office revenues was among the foremost reasons holding back Hindi film releases.”

But single-screen cinemas are not likely to resume shortly. Nitin Datar, president of Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association of India said, “Our sector is facing closure. We have been requesting government for concessions in property tax and electricity bill rebates as other states have given. Until that happens, we do not have the means to reopen.”

AMC Suresh Kakani said restrictions may be further eased in Mumbai. “Though curbs on train travel were removed on August 15, we haven’t seen a mega surge in cases 40 days later,” he said.

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Single screens, multiplexes, drama theatres and auditoriums will reopen across the state from October 22 on the condition that they follow Coronavirus-related health protocols, which will soon be issued by the government.

CM Uddhav Thackeray announced this after meeting eminent people from the entertainment industry on Saturday. The State Covid Task Force members also participated in the deliberations that were held after the industry’s demand for not delaying the resumption further.

On Friday, Thackeray announced that schools and junior colleges will resume physical classes from October 4, while places of worship will be allowed to reopen on October 7, which is the first day of Navaratri.

“The standard operating procedures (SoPs) are being prepared. We will announce the SoPs soon,” said the CM in a statement.

The previous unlock in November had allowed multiplexes, cinema halls and auditoriums to operate at 50 per cent intake. Eatables were not allowed inside the halls. 

The entertainment industry in Maharashtra will come face to face with the audience in October after a seven-month shutdown—the second one since last March. The reopening has been planned a weekend before Diwali, a favourite release time for big banners.

Saturday’s meeting with the CM was attended by Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte, filmmakers Rohit Shetty and Kunal Kapoor, film and theatre personalities Makarand Deshpande, Subodh Bhave and Aadesh Bandekar.