Editorial: A utopia called houseful

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent circuit-breaker lockdowns have changed the face of the global entertainment scene in unprecedented ways. The shared experience of movie-going, which was essentially entertainment for the masses, took a big hit when the first lockdown was announced in India in March 2020. And now, almost two years into the pandemic, multiplexes and cultural spaces are still bearing the brunt of the uncertainty caused by the rapid surge of COVID cases in India, and the Omicron variant, which threatens to derail the industry’s return to normalcy.

Last week, the Tamil Nadu government put in place lockdowns that once again mandated 50% occupancy in theatres across the state. Multiplex operators who were eagerly looking forward to some big budget releases that would have paved the way for the smaller films during the remainder of the year, are now staring at colossal losses in the aftermath of the lockdown. Adding to the disappointment is the fact that the closure took place in the run-up to Pongal, one of the most important festivals in the State.

This is the second year in a row that release dates of big-budget films have been pushed indefinitely. One might recall that last year in July, industry observers had pegged the net quantum of revenue loss to the four South Indian film industries at Rs 1,000 crore over a period of 18 months. The lockdowns had compelled many films to be delayed and sold off to over-the- top (OTT) streaming platforms for a fraction of what they might have earned in theatrical releases. What has been especially painful for States such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala is the fact that the governments here have followed a ‘first in, last out’ policy as far as curbs on the entertainment industry are concerned. Multiplexes are usually the first to shut down and the last to reopen, a phenomenon that has dealt a death blow to many small theatres, which could barely keep up with the fixed costs of rentals and salaries.

The reopening mandate post the second wave which allowed only 50 per cent occupancy last year, was the death blow for several single screen theatres in Chennai and other districts in the State. Despite being of one of the most vibrant cinema industries in India, Kollywood still gets a step-motherly treatment when it comes to government grants, subsidies or waivers of any kind, aimed at mitigating the pandemic losses, which stakeholders have estimated to be Rs 200 cr last year for the Tamil film industry.

Our neighbouring state Telangana had waived off electricity charges for theatres during the entire lockdown period, while in TN, multiplexes were asked to pay the charges as per the old rates. Similarly, in Kerala, the government had decided to offer multiplexes a tax holiday vis-a-vis entertainment tax, as well as rebates on fixed electricity charges in the post-COVID period. Those demands made by operators in the TN industry have fallen on deaf ears. As per estimates, it will take nothing short of two to three years for the local film business to regain its composure from the body blow delivered by the pandemic.

It’s essential that the State government takes stock of the contributions made by the film industry, an essential portion of the Indian economic pie. In order to ensure that it’s a happy Pongal for both industries and audiences in the forthcoming years, a few definitive relaxations are expected by those who depend on this industry for their bread and butter. In the absence of the same, we might have to kiss our anticipation of first day first shows, and houseful openings, a tearful goodbye.