With Covid raging across the universe, is this really the right time to open theatres?
No, says ‘James Bond’ Daniel Craig who very clearly states, ‘This is not the right time.’ The next James Bond flick has been moved to April 2021.
The State of West Bengal has proven Craig right. Theatres opened in Kolkata to a hugely underwhelming response. Who wants to risk his life to see a film? The decision to re-open theatres is clearly a commercial one, unsupported by the reality outside the insulated darkness of movie theatres.
Shatrughan Sinha is hopeful that the decision to return to theatres won’t go to waste. “Audiences are craving to return to movie theatres. No experience can replace the theatre experience. It also gives a livelihood to thousands . The movie-exhibition sector must get a chance .Why not? When other places of recreation are being re-opened?”
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has a lot of reservations. “Imagine going to a theatre if they open now. How do you get there? If you go by your own car, will there be a parking attendant?Then you go through a Covid testing screen. Then security.Then only every 4th seat can be occupied …need 3 seats (6 feet) in-between empty.Now if in the middle of an emotional scene , some one in the theatre starts coughing , are you going to stay ?If your Arogya Setu App proves you are live-in partners .. then you could sit together !So now tell me, would you go to the theatre ?Or watch Netflix at home?Drive-in theatres could make a comeback as they are in the rest of the world.”
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