As cinema halls get ready to open after seven months amid the Covid19 pandemic several movies are set to be released in theatres from Thursday.
Sushant Singh Rajput-starrer ‘Chhichhore’ is among the movies that will get a big screen re-release on Thursday.
The cinema halls remained closed for the last 7 months due to the Covid19 lockdown.
The Centre on September 30 announced a number of SOPs that the theatres and viewers have to follow to ensure a safe screening from October 15.
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As per the new guidelines issued by the Union home ministry, cinemas/ theatres/ multiplexes will be permitted to open with 50% of seating capacity, for which the SOP has been issued by the Union information & broadcasting ministry from Thursday onwards.
According to a media report, PVR Cinemas, which is the largest film exhibitor in India with 845 screens in 176 properties across 71 cities, on Wednesday said 10 states and four union territories have given their go-ahead for the reopening of cinemas.
PVR Cinemas said they will start operations in 487 screens from Thursday.
It has been reported PVR to screen earlier hits like Ajay Devgn’s ‘Tanhaji’, Keanu Reeves’ ‘John Wick 3’, Tapsee Pannu’s ‘Thappad’.
Sushant Singh Rajput-starrer ‘Chhichhore’ is also all set to hit screens and it is hoped that the audiences will return to theatres to watch the Bihar-born actor, whose death in June still continues create sensations in the country.
Meanwhile, Cinepolis India has also lined up a bouquet of Hollywood and Bollywood hits of the past.
A media report quoted Cinepolis India CEO Devang Sampat as saying that they have movies like ‘1917’, ‘Bala’, ‘Malang’, ‘Shivaji Surathakal’ and ‘Thappad’ for screening.
India has reportedly around 8,750 screens – 3,100 in multiplexes and 5,650 single screens – which are operating mostly in Tier 2 and 3 cities.
The news of opening the cinema halls ushers in a spell of relief for the film industry which had to resort to the streaming services route to release films for the past six months.
Big-ticket films such as ‘Shakuntala Devi’, ‘Gulabo Sitabo’, ‘Dil Bechara’ and ‘Sadak 2’, all had to be released on digital streaming services.