Coronavirus has been disastrous for many globally, both on the individual and institutional levels. The entertainment industry is, without any doubt amongst the most affected due to COVID-19. When it comes to Indian cinemas, it could be termed a killer blow. However, is there a silver lining in this disaster, as well?
Well, for the past three weeks or so, there is a talk that cinema halls would open from September. It could be either in the first week or towards the end, sooner or later, they would open.
The ‘opening’ of cinema halls is not the point. It is how they are expected to operate that could be a game-changer to the Indian film industry, as a whole. A miracle that every movie lover waited for, but had no hopes could finally arrive unexpectedly.
The theatres are expected to open in a phased manner. Initially, the occupancy would be around twenty-five to thirty percent and then it would be increased depending on the cases. However, the critical point to note here is that there would be no physical ticketing (over the counter tickets, standing in queues). Online booking will reportedly be made compulsory, be it the single screens or the multiplexes. Of course, with the latter, it has been the case all along.
What this means is that for the first time, we could be looking at transparent box office receipts. The lack of has been a significant issue for Indian cinema (across the industries). If the whole system goes online, the reporting would be proper for all movies, be it a big hero or a small one.
In the past, agencies like Rentrak etc. tried to operate in India and bring transparency and accountability, but it didn’t happen as planned. Now, the situation is such that everyone will be forced to go online. If that is the case, it would be great news for the box office enthusiasts and movie lovers, as well. Let’s wait and see how the whole thing pans out eventually.
