Thiruvananthapuram: Though the state government has given the nod to reopen the cinemas on Monday, October 25, 2021, theatre owners have confirmed that screenings will begin only on Wednesday (October 27). As per the guidelines, the Kerala government has granted permission to reopen cinema halls and indoor auditoriums with only 50 per cent occupancy.Also Read - Woman's Easy Virtue, Sex Life Can't be Ground to Absolve Rape Accused: Kerala High Court
The decision was taken earlier this month at a high-level COVID-19 evaluation meeting which was chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Movie halls and auditoriums in Kerala have been shut for over one and half years since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March last year. Also Read - Kerala Rain Highlights: 6 Dead, Several Missing in Floods, Landslides; Army, Navy Assisting in Rescue Ops
Entry to cinemas will be allowed only to those who have taken two doses of vaccine. As of now, the owners are busy rechecking the operation of their projectors, the air conditioning quality in the movie halls and other equipment at the cinemas. Also Read - Antibodies Against Nipah Virus Found in Bat Samples: Kerala Health Minister
No Time to Die, the latest installment in the James Bond series would be the first movie to be released in theatres.
Meanwhile, there is no clarity on the release date of big-budget Malayalam movies, including Mohanlal starrer, Marakkar.
“Screening will start from Wednesday with Hollywood movie. Malayalam films will screen from Friday. Entry will be limited to 50% of seating capacity for fully vaccinated,” a manager of a cinema theatre told ANI.
However, Theatre owners are hopeful that cinema halls will come alive once again when Annaatthe, superstar Rajnikanth’s much-awaited Tamil flick, will be released on November 4. Another biggie — Dulquer Salmaan’s Kurup — will be released on November 12.
Meanwhile, Kerala reported 6,664 new COVID-19 cases and 53 deaths in the past 24 hours, as per the state health bulletin on Monday.
The number of active cases in the state stands at 74,735. As many as 28,873 people have succumbed to the disease in the state so far.