G7 Multiplex’s Gaiety Cinema in Mumbai has been shut down temporarily since film releases have been indefinitely postponed due to the surge in Coronavirus cases. Many other cinemas all across the country have followed suit, with a few theatres in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh running at 50% capacity. Theatres in West Bengal are currently screening Spider-Man: No Way Home, Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01, '83 and a regional film.

Manoj Desai, executive director of G7 Multiplex and Maratha Mandir Cinema says, “For how long can we continue screening films that released three-four weeks back?” Rajender Singh Jyala, CPO, Inox Leisure Limited shares that they had “done a business of over ₹1,000 crore in December, which was as good as in the pre-pandemic era” and all hopes were pinned on January, which was supposed to see the release of RRR, Radhe Shyam and Valimai. 

Better policies are needed for theatres, feels Meenu Singh, AGM, Legend Cinemas, whose Haryana outlet has been forced to shut down. Whereas, Satadeep Saha, director, SSR cinemas Pvt Limited, says, “If the government asks us to shut down, we will or else we’ll continue to run even if we have to with one show of each film.”