Unlock: Beaches crowded in Chennai, theatres still empty

Unlock: Beaches crowded in Chennai, theatres still empty

While some cinema halls screen old movies, others await new releases to help them return to business with a bang by end of the week

Published: 24th August 2021 06:51 AM |

As lockdown relaxations were announced, cinema theatres, beaches and other tourist spots saw huge crowds as people got to partake in leisure activities | V KARTHIKALAGU/ DEBADATTA MALLICK

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: At least 500 people have visited the theatre asking if there was a show, said N Kumarajan, security guard at Sathyam Cinemas. Visitors had expected theatres to be open after the State government allowed them to operate with 50 per cent occupancy starting Monday.

However, the Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners Association have decided to open the theatres from either Thursday or Friday, with grand re-openings, in the hopes drawing of film lovers during the weekend.

The few theatres that have opened, are screening old MGR movies, like the Palace Theatre in Tiruchy. Around 25 people watched the celebrated actor’s dual-role in ‘Enga Veetu Pillai’ movie.Thiyagarajan, a distributor and owner of a theatre said, “Not more than three theatres have opened on Monday in Tiruchy. More may open from Friday with the screening of ‘Conjuring 3’. We will only know on Tuesday.”

He added that reopening the theatres with old movies might not draw crowds. “OTT platforms are showing the most recent movies. How can we compete? Showing an old movie is not a risk worth taking. We plan to open with a theatre-only film on Friday,” he said.

One of the partners of the TPV Multiplex, Alangulam in Tenkasi, Karunakararaja, believes that despite the recent exponential growth of OTT platforms, theatres will draw a crowds as usual. They are also planning to reduce the ticket price from Rs 110 to Rs 50 as an attraction, he said.

Beach vendors happy

The opening of beaches have given renewed hopes to vendors. On Monday morning, the vendors along the Marina in Chennai were seen repairing and painting their shops as the salty breeze had caused several of them to rust.

“We have incurred a huge loss in the last four months. I had to borrow money in the hope of a huge crowd. The chairs and plastic seaters have started withering, the iron rods on the shops have rusted, the iron gas stoves have gathered dust,” said Nizamuthin, who was scraping dust from a huge stove.

Some vendors who had alternative shops managed to balance the loss, while others had to wait. “We have a horse chariot ride which is now destroyed due to the rain and wind. I only have money to restore the shop. I shall repair the horse ride after I make some profit,” said Shankari Babu

K Ganapathi who earns a livelihood taking photos of visitors on the Velankanni beach was all smiles. “On a good day, we earn about Rs 1,000. This was one such day. It is good to see people back again,” he said.

(With inputs from Antony Fernando @ Nagapattinam, Aadhithya MS @ Tiruchy, Jayalakshmi Ramanujam @ Madurai, Thinakaran Rajamani @ Tenkasi, Deepak Sathish @ Coimbatore)