Cinema halls in Kerala have reported a monthly loss of ₹20 crore in maintenance and operational expenses alone in the aftermath of the pandemic crisis.
The average loss is about ₹20.1 crore at ₹3 lakh each a month for 670 screens in the State despite no shows since the nationwide lockdown from March 25, according to estimates by the Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK) and the Film Exhibitors Federation.
“Cinemas need to be run at least for half-an-hour in two days to avoid breakdown of the projection systems. An estimated ₹3 lakh is required to meet the operational and salary expenses, including power charges,” says M.C. Bobby, general secretary, FEUOK. “We have not assessed the loss in terms of not having any shows as it would run into crores.
Many owners continue to provide salary to the staff as per their capacity even in these tough times,” he says.
Electricity charges
P.V. Basheer Ahamed, president of the Film Exhibitors Federation, says the fixed electricity charges per each billing cycle will be around ₹1 lakh for multiscreen theatre complexes and ₹45,000 for single screens. “The government has promised to cut the fixed charges by 25%,” he says.
“We have urged the government to exempt them from paying all taxes, including GST and local body tax, for at least one year to tide over the financial impact of the COVID-19 outbreak,” he says.
Question of reopening
On when cinemas will reopen amidst the continuing crisis, Mr. Bobby says they are awaiting directions from the Union and the State governments. “The exhibitors are ready to resume operations by adhering to safety protocols prescribed by the authorities,” he says.
The discussions over a possible increase in producers ready to opt for a direct-to-digital release have not doused the hopes of the exhibitors.
“Nothing can replace the experience of watching a movie in a big screen,” claims Mr. Bobby.
