One of the biggest victims of the raging Covid 19 pandemic in the state has been the cinema and the theater industries. Many theater owners are mired in financial crisis as there aren’t any signs of reopening the theaters for the public. The theater workers too stare at a bleak future as majority of them have lost jobs.
Rs 1 lakh per screen
The theaters owners spend at least Rs 1 lakh per month to maintain the screens. The electricity bills alone come up to Rs 50,000. Even though the theaters are closed, the projector, sound system and the generator have to be switched on or operated on alternate days to ensure that they are in perfect condition. So, the owners have to retain the operators and security and cleaning staff. Their salaries are an additional burden, especially when there is zero income.
Many theaters were refurbished and upgraded by spending around Rs 1 crore, just before the pandemic hit the country. Now, the owners are spending an exorbitant amount, every month, as interest alone. The government has announced a waiver of up to 50% in the fixed and demand charges, in the electricity bills, for the month of May. However, the theater owners say that a waiver for just a month isn’t going to help them as they had been paying the amount until now.
Looking for extra
There are more than sixty screens in Kollam alone. Many theater owners are knee deep in debts. Some of them have even turned to other businesses and jobs to tide over this difficult phase. An owner of a closed theater in the district now sells fish while another sells cashews on the road side by hiring a few employees.
Many are trying to sell the theaters and get rid of the liability. However, there aren’t any buyers either. The cinema and theater industry had seen a significant boost just before the pandemic stretched its claws. Keralite families had returned to theaters, especially since many of them had undergone a modern makeover, with improved technical qualities, to attract audience. However, Covid 19 pandemic soon played spoil sport, marring the dreams and hopes of many.
