It's been close to 3 months since the last time a movie was shown at a cinema hall in India. The coronavirus pandemic brought life as we know it to a standstill. The first spell of lockdown was announced in the last week of March. As we close in on July, cinema halls like PVR and INOX still wear a deserted look, contrary to the full of life persona of a movie theatre on a Friday night or a Saturday night in the pre-COVID-19 era.
But in what comes as good news for all those who are passionate about movies, PVR has made all the arrangements to reopen as soon as the govt gives it a go-ahead. In a recent video launched by the PVR, titled -- PVR Cares | Your Safety is Our Priority -- PVR has shown how it plans to go about running its business in the post-lockdown era.
New Seating Format
PVR has showcased its new seating format where there will be a one-seat gap between every ticket transaction. So if you are buying tickets with your friends and family, you can be seated together but the seats at your sides will be completely empty. This has been done to abide by the social distancing norms and avoid any case of virus being spread inside a movie theatre.
Sanitisation
PVR has said that it will sanitise all its halls between shows to make the conditions best for people coming in for a viewing experience. The staff has been instructed to abide by the sanitisation norms. They have been instructed to maintain a no contact ticket counter. PVR had advised people to book tickets from the PVR app before coming to the theatres.
Sale of PPE kits and single-use 3D glasses will also be put in practice. Hand sanitisation centers have been installed across theatres. Temperature checks will be carried out at the entrance and entry will be prohibited to anyone showing symptoms. Their money will be refunded. Disposable food packages will be disinfected using UV technology. Food transactions have also been made cashless.
There is no confirmation on when the cinema halls will be opening in India. But whenever they open, they will have a challenge at hand to not act as a source of COVID-19 spread.
