NEW DELHI: Theatre owners across northern and southern India have urged the government to allow them to reopen cinemas at least by the Dussehra weekend in October. Given that it has lost several lucrative holiday weekends of the year, the film industry is now pinning its hopes on Dussehra, particularly Diwali. “We have requested the government to allow us to reopen cinemas with 50% capacity. The Indian theatre business has lost box office worth ₹3,000 crore in the six months that cinemas have remained shut since March. The first big Indian film, Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi will only arrive for Diwali in November.

Source: Mint September 11, 2020 07:18 UTC