The Assam administration on 1st October issued a fresh SOP where it allowed reopening of cinema halls in the state with 50% seating capacity for the movie buffs who are fully vaccinated.
Following the permission from the state authority, movies started getting screened in the halls around Assam, although the number of movies screened are comparatively less as the filmmakers were launching their films on OTT platforms mostly due to the Covid-19 restrictions.
With the festive season in India almost coming to an end, a huge crowd of enthusiastic movie buffs has been seen in and around the theatre halls in Guwahati. As expressed by the authorities, movies like Eternal and Sooryavanshi have done extremely well with more than one thousand customers on a daily basis since a few days in the PVR cinemas.
Pratidin Time went to PVR Cinemas in City Center Mall- Guwahati today to see the reaction of Guwahatians on the re-opening of the cinema halls after the long shutdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic and also had a talk with the PVR staff on how the Covid-19 protocols are maintained in the theatres.
"The PVR has maintained all the Covid-19 protocols while letting us in. They have checked temperatures, didn't allow people without masks to get into the hall, provided sanitizers to the customers. They have really maintained safety for the people and that's commendable," said a person who came to watch a movie in City Center- PVR cinemas.
The people who came to watch movies expressed extreme satisfaction after the halls were opened in Guwahati. People said that they have missed being in the theatres for such a long time and looking into the big screen made them feel good.
Another movie buff expressed, "I am a big fan of Akshay Kumar Ji, and getting to watch his film after almost 2 years is something I have been eagerly waiting for. Thank god the theatres are opened now my boredom has come to an end. I am too excited for Sooryavanshi."
Additionally, the Bollywood lover Indians have made Sooryavanshi a huge success. Apart from that, the Hollywood movie Eternal did a very good job as informed by PVR staff.
The Covid-19 pandemic has indeed resulted in extreme loss of the movie theatre business not only in Assam but all over the country. With the opening of the theatre halls, the business that almost went down is now in the state of regaining the losses.
In many places across Assam, small towns with very few theatre halls have faced loss at an extreme level. Few halls had to be shut down across Assam after the long gap due to the Covid-19 pandemic leaving no scope for them to re-open.
