100 percent occupancy in theatres: A distant dream amid the pandemic?

After an attempt to make it 100 percent occupancy in Tamil Nadu theatres was revoked by the Centre, it seems that the situation is a bit dicey for cinema halls even in 2021. We spoke to trade and industry people for their take on the future of theatres as of now.

Theatres are still struggling to get back on their feet across India. Though 50 percent occupancy has been allowed, no film has been able to lure the audiences enough that they forget the Covid 19 scare to venture inside.

Theatres have been running with 50 percent occupancy after they were permitted to open in October 2020.

Tamil Nadu recently tried raising the occupancy to 100, only for the Centre to revoke the order and ask them to revert back to the original cap. In such a scenario, what does it say about the rest of 2021 for theatres? Does this move dishearten the trade?

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh feels even if the occupancy is raised to 75 percent, it will be great. “On weekends, on an average we have 80 percent occupancy across India for all big films which worked at the box office. In today’s time, what can happen is people will go the next week after release, seeing the houseful signs and if reports are good. It will happen sooner or later, it all depends on the big films and when they come, like ’83, Radhe, Sooryavanshi, Bell Bottom. A lot is in the pipeline, hopefully happy days should be back again,” he says.

From an exhibitor’s point of view, this reluctance towards 100 percent occupancy is disheartening. Akshaye Rathi says these are grave times for movie exhibition.

“Big ticket, anticipated films are not releasing, and they won’t release until occupancy is large. It’s a chicken and egg situation. The government has done absolutely nothing to help this sector till now. More capacity needs to be done to revive. Many parts of the world have been opened for half a year now, and nowhere has it been reported that there was a spread from cinema halls. Cinemas are very controlled environments. When local public transport, malls everything has opened to normal capacity, I don’t know why cinemas are being singled out,” rues Rathi.

However, according to trade expert Atul Mohan, 50 percent occupancy doesn’t matter on weekdays because the footfalls in theatres is anyway less than weekends. He explains, “Government knows better, what is good for whom but I think weekends are the main earning for the industry. The maximum revenue is generated then, because occupancy goes up to 80 percent for a good films. Even an average film enjoys 50 percent occupancy on a weekend. Whereas on a weekday, in any multiplex not more than 5-10 percent people come. Therefore 50 percent doesn’t affect much then.”

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