Yet another wave of COVID-19 is back to disrupt the theaters business. With no new releases, 50% occupancy, and Night curfew in Andhra Pradesh, theaters are left with no feeding and are forced to shut down from Monday i.e., tomorrow.
While the theaters business across the country is closed much earlier, it is delayed in AP and Telangana thanks to the Sankranthi season. Nagarjuna with his good connections in AP CMO was able to ensure the theaters are open for Sankranthi.
Bangarraju had slowed down considerably right in its second weekend. So, theater owners are feeling it untenable to run the theaters. Some theatres are even unable to earn daily maintenance charges. The audience is also not in a mood to come to the theaters with no notable films. The untenable ticket prices in AP make things worse for the theater owners there.
Keerthy Suresh’s Good Luck Sakhi is releasing on the 28th of this month. A few theaters may accommodate the film. “We are hopeful about Ravi Teja’s Khiladi releasing on February 12th. If that gets postponed, we are doomed. In case the movie does well, we hope more mid-range films will release,” an exhibitor in the East Godavari district told us.
“There are better choices on the OTT right now. Akhanda, Shyam Singha Roy, Pushpa, etc. OTT platforms are arranging for new content every week Why should the audience take a risk coming to the theaters?” a film analyst opined.
