Covid: After seven months, movie halls, cinemas open in Delhi to a curious few

While most cinema halls and multiplexes are planning to stick to the ‘Friday opening’ tradition, those which resumed business on Thursday screened not more than three to four shows throughout the day, given the limited movie bouquet available -- My Spy, 1917, Bala, Malang, Shivaji Surathkal and Thappad, to name a few.

Cinema halls and multiplexes in Delhi reopened Thursday -- after a hiatus of seven months on account of the Covid-19 pandemic --- to a few patrons who had come more out of curiosity than an interest to check out the films.

Under the new safety protocols, moviegoers have to wear masks, have Aarogya Setu apps on their phones and avoid gatherings in lobbies or anywhere inside the theatre premises (Amal KS/HT Photo)

While most cinema halls and multiplexes are planning to stick to the ‘Friday opening’ tradition, those which resumed business on Thursday screened not more than three to four shows throughout the day, given the limited movie bouquet available -- My Spy, 1917, Bala, Malang, Shivaji Surathkal and Thappad, to name a few.

“We have already watched this movie at home during lockdown. We came to the cinema hall today only because we were missing the whole ‘theatre experience’,” said Ankush Vaid, who was with two friends at a theatre in south Delhi’s Saket.

Vaid and his friends wore masks and carried sanitisers. “It was a new experience. We were seated with ample space left between each occupied seat. But it was safe and there was hardly any crowd -- fewer than 10 people were there,” said Vaid’s friend Aman Naagar.

“I am sure more people will start coming to theatres once they start showing new releases. Right now, theatres will only be able to attract people who would be more interested in the experience than the movie, or people who are missing an outing to the movies,” said Apeksha Yadav, who was with her younger sister at a movie theatre in south Delhi’s Greater Kailash-2.

A spokesperson of Cinepolis India, a prominent movie chain, said, “We will be opening three cinema halls in Delhi, to begin with, on Thursday. More theatres will continue to open throughout October… We expect new releases to start coming in by the next few days. Given that we are entering the festive season, there is a lot of fresh movie content waiting to be released.”

Under the new safety protocols, moviegoers have to wear masks, have Aarogya Setu apps on their phones and avoid gatherings in lobbies or anywhere inside the theatre premises. The food outlets are open but eating inside the auditorium is prohibited. A gap of at least one seat between viewers is mandatory; intermissions are longer for easier movement and auditoriums are sanitised after every screening.

The Multiplex Association of India told HT, “We have developed our SOPs after careful thought to ensure the safety of moviegoers, without interfering with their moviegoing experience. All guidelines laid down by the government will be followed in its entirety. Aspects such as chequered seating, staggered show timings, paperless ticketing, cashless payments, compulsory masks and other such measures, will ensure a safe, secure and hygienic cinema-going experience for movie lovers. We look forward to welcoming back moviegoers to a safe and amazing brand-new experience at our cinemas.”