As the state government and Union home service have given consent for multiplexes and film lobbies to continue activities — while clinging to exacting rules — from Thursday onwards, a couple of cinemas in the city are set to return in this ‘new normal’. Worries around not many or no new deliveries keep on stressing multiplex proprietors, as it will influence their incomes while working costs heap up.
Not all multiplexes will return from Thursday. Some may open from the end of the week or one week from now. For example, Wide Angle at SG Road or Cinepolis at Vastrapur are not expected to open on Thursday. Their proprietors have not shared an exact date for resuming.
“Some may open on Thursday while others may resume operations by the weekend. We are not sure how footfalls will be given the widespread public apprehension remains,” said Manu Patel, chairman, Gujarat Multiplex Owners’ Association (GMOA).
Multiplex proprietors are worried about income, particularly as working costs rise. There are hardly any new deliveries not booked and this will hurt income essentially.
“We don’t expect crowds of more than 25% of capacity as there are no new movie releases. This will hurt revenues significantly. We will be releasing slightly old but popular movies so that people can enjoy themselves,” said Niraj Ahuja, manager of a city multiplex.
With limit covered at half, a mark in ticket deals is normal. All the while, the expense of tasks will go up. “The repeated sanitizing of the premises and limited food and beverages sales due to public apprehensions will certainly hurt revenues and add to our costs. The past six months have been difficult for us without any revenue. We had to shell out money from our pockets to keep the business running and pay monthly overheads,” said another multiplex proprietor on state of obscurity.
Industry players said a flood in internet real time stages is likewise influencing the incomes of multiplexes amazingly.
