On Wednesday, the film industry heaved a sigh of relief as the Maharashtra government eased Coronavirus restrictions in 14 districts, including Mumbai, allowing theatres to operate at 100 per cent capacity.

Cinema halls first shut shop in March 2020 when COVID-19 cases began to surge, which impacted several summer releases. Films like Gulabo Sitabo and Shakuntala Devi were among the first films to find their way to OTT platforms.

After the first lockdown, cinemas opened their doors for a short while, but the second wave saw them pulling the shutters down again. In October 2021, theatres in Maharashtra were allowed to operate at 50 per cent capacity. Around Diwali last year, theatres in most parts of the country were operational.

Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavanshi starring Akshay Kumar, became the first big-budget film to release after theatres reopened in Maharashtra post the second lockdown. Kabir Khan’s '83 was released on December 24,2021. However, though the film opened to raved reviews, it didn’t see a long run at the theatres owing to the surge in Omicron cases.

Following that, the release of Shahid Kapoor-starrer Jersey, which was set to hit the screen on December 31, 2021, was postponed. Now, with most businesses back on track, it was only a matter of time before theatres went back to running at full capacity.

Kamal Gianchandani of PVR Cinemas and the head of the Multiplex Association of India says, “This is a positive move and it has been timed very well. There is a long line-up of interesting films that will benefit in a big way, and as a chain reaction, it will also give a lot of impetus to the business. Gangubai Kathiawadi is doing well and this move will escalate its business and help a film like Jhund as well as the subsequent releases, too.”

Manoj Desai of G-7 cinemas and Maratha Mandir adds, “I am very happy that we can house more people for every screening. Hopefully, this move will send out a message to the audience that they can come back to theatres. It will also encourage more filmmakers to consider theatrical releases. We have high hopes from films like Radhe Shyam and Bachchhan Paandey. I am eager to put the ‘House Full’ board outside the screens once again.”

Rakesh Sippy of Raksha Entertainment, which distributes Hindi films, believes that the audience has been ready for this move for some time now. “If you look at the next few weeks, every Friday, there is a big release lined up, all the way up to May. And with time, more filmmakers will be happy to bring their movies to theatres first. Maharashtra and the Mumbai circuit contributes to a film’s collection in a big way. This move will bring more hope to the entire exhibition chain,” he says.

Independent exhibitor Akshaye Rathi says, “The vaccination drives have played a big role in eliminating fear from people’s minds. The fact that Gangubai Kathiawadi’s tickets were unavailable at one point in the week only underlines how eagerly people wanted to come back. Good content that has waited for months to release is being lapped up. It’s a sign that the business of cinema will only move upward and onward from here. Of course, we all need to be cautious and act responsibly at all times to ensure this run is never disrupted again.”