While the entertainment sector has done well for itself with many direct-to-OTT releases and television premiers, the main mode of film viewing, theatres, continue to be on the decline, especially within the state of Kerala. With Kerala theatres remaining closed for over three months now, they have returned to incurring losses from multiple fronts. With theatres haemorrhaging money like crazy, they need the state government to allow them to release films – and according to recent reports, they just might allow it.
The Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEOUK) and other film bodies have already sent a letter to the Kerala state government, urging them to consider permitting the reopening of cinema halls. These theatres were closed down, back in April this year following the second wave of Covid. In the letter, they ask the government to allow them to open the cinema halls by the second week of August itself.
While we are already in the second week of August, we know the letter didn’t work for the organisations, but we know that “help” is on the way. The state government had already slashed 50% entertainment tax during the months of January to March of 2021 for theatre and cinema hall owners, and we expect them to pay even less (or none at all) during the times of theatre lockdown.
Also, the steady decline of Covid-19 cases is showing that the second wave is losing its momentum in Kerala and the state has allowed malls to open for a certain amount of time. Since malls have opened, we expect the reopening of theatres will not be too far behind either.