The Maharashtra government has agreed to allow the reopening of theatres and cinema halls in the state after 22 October. The decision was confirmed by the office of the chief minister of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray.
The decision was taken after a meeting between top government officials and members of the film industry who met the chief minister on Saturday. Theatres and cinema halls are expected to comply with the state's COVID-19 protocols after reopening. A set of standard operating procedures will be announced soon.
It is not known yet if theatres will be allowed to function to full capacity.
राज्यातील चित्रपटगृहे आणि नाट्यगृहे २२ ऑक्टोबरनंतर आरोग्याचे नियम पाळून खुली करण्यास परवानगी देण्यात येईल असे मुख्यमंत्री उद्धव बाळासाहेब ठाकरे यांनी घोषित केले आहे. यासंदर्भात सविस्तर कार्य पद्धती एसओपी तयार करण्याचे काम सुरू असून ती लवकरच जाहीर करण्यात येईल.
— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) September 25, 2021
The development comes after a week filled with meetings with representatives of industry workers and trade unions who have been demanding the reopening of theatres.
On Friday, representatives of the Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees (FWICE) and the Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association (IMPPA) reached out to the chief minister, requesting permission to allow cinema halls and auditoriums to resume operations.
Earlier in the week, producer Jayantilal Gada joined representatives of the Multiplex Association of India to meet Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena party member Sanjay Raut to propose the same.
Thank you Hon. Chief Minister @CMOMaharashtra ji for taking time out and discussing about the re-opening of theatres across Maharashtra.
— Dr. Jayantilal Gada (pen) (@jayantilalgada) September 25, 2021
After a fruitful discussion, I am delighted that the theatres are all to entertain the citizens of Maharashtra from October 22nd. pic.twitter.com/aZv6av2QOg
Gada again joined representatives at the meeting with the chief minister today. The meeting was held in Mumbai and the industry delegation was led by Gada and filmmaker Rohit Shetty along with key theatre and exhibitor representatives like Kamal Gianchandani (president of the Multiplex Association of India and CEO, PVR Pictures), Alok Tandon (CEO, Inox Leisure Ltd), Devang Sampat (CEO, Cinepolis India), and Kunal Sawhney (chief operating officer, Carnival Cinemas).
A day ago, Karnataka announced the decision to allow theatres in the state to function at full capacity. Maharashtra is the last of the major film territories to lift restrictions on theatress. Movie houses have reopened in Delhi, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Jharkhand, Karnataka and West Bengal.
Theatres in Maharashtra have been shut since March 2020. While there was an interval in the first half of 2021 where operations were resumed, the second wave of the pandemic brought the shutters down again. The decision has led to severe financial losses, with several theatres losing out on employees who have moved away.
Earlier in the week, the Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association (COEA) had declared an intention to delay the reopening of theatres even after they receive permission to do so.