Cinema executives said last week has been one of the best for the exhibition industry with ‘Spider-Man’ and Telugu film ‘Pushpa’ bringing in audiences across the country and with Kabir Khan’s ’83’ slotted for release on Friday, the industry is hoping for a big finish to the year.
“At this point, there is no impact on the business of the cinema exhibition industry whatsoever,” said Kamal Gianchandani, president of the Multiplex Association of India.
“While we are closely monitoring the situation, the pre-booking numbers for ’83’ are looking pretty good, and many will find it difficult to get tickets for the weekend. ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘Pushpa’ are also continuing their strong run at the box office.”
India has reported 269 cases of the Omicron variant across 15 states and Union Territories.
“But the cinema industry is not taking the threat lightly,” said Gianchandani. “Omicron is a real global threat, and the exhibition industry is taking all the care for the safety and security of our consumers. Although, I must say that the government has done a great job and have come up with timely guidelines. We are hoping that India will not have a severe wave.”
“There is no doubt that India’s cinephiles are unwavering in their return, back to the theatres as their first preference for entertainment,” said Ashish Saksena, COO, Cinemas, BookMyShow.
“As we step into the New Year, huge pent-up consumer demand to experience the magic of the big screen with film-goers hungry for quality content are together adding up, setting the stage for a full industry recovery within the first few months of 2022 itself,” he added.
