Letters Jal

Cinemas can provide balm for forlorn souls

Advertisement

With declining number of cases and flattening of the curve, the Centre has allowed opening of cinema halls with 50 per cent capacity. There is no doubt that because of the prolonged lockdown and being incarcerated, people are suffering from fatigue. It is also true that of all the businesses cinemas were among the worst hit. Opening would be beneficial both for the cinemas as well as the people. TV may be good for home entertainment but it can’t replace the experience of a big screen. But, some precautions are very essential because there’s no surety that covid-19 will not spike again – it is happening in many countries which have again taken to the lockdown. With capacity limiting to 50 per cent it is also necessary to sanitise cinema halls before and after every show. Preference should be given to online ticketing instead of physically getting tickets. The audience should be instructed to wear masks and also keep physical distancing during the interval. Even parking places should be made to observe same protocols. Opening of the halls will have a salutary effect on the psyche because many of them were/are suffering from depression and anxiety. Dr JS Wadhwa

‘Isn’t it better to do your thing at home?’

Buoyed up by the dramatic downswing in the number of positive cases, the Centre has allowed reopening of cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes with 50 per cent capacity across the country. Since there is no room for complacency, the decision has elicited a mixed response. Whereas the movieholics are elated over the prospect of watching a film on the big screen, medical experts have expressed serious concerns over the safety. They apprehend that the transmission may intensify during the upcoming festival season and winter months along with dengue and other influenza viruses. Despite assurances from the cinema owners to strictly implement the mandatory health and hygiene protocols including wearing of masks, socially distanced limited seating, frequent sanitising theatre facilities between screenings, temperature checks at the doors and upgrading ventilation systems, it is difficult to enforce these precautionary guidelines meticulously. Sitting in an enclosed space with strangers and eating and drinking for two to three hours involves an inherently high risk. In the midst of an uncertain pandemic situation, any laxity in adherence to safety measures may prove fatal. Prudence demands that we should ponder the following questions before deciding our priorities. Isn’t there lot more to consider than what film to see and what to eat in the hall? Are movie theatres exactly an essential business? Will theatre operators act responsibly? Isn’t it better to cuddle up at home and enjoy our choicest movies on TV and Netflix? Physical well-being is decidedly more important than recreation. Therefore, it is imperative to avoid non-essential locales such as hotels, restaurants, gyms, parlours, shopping malls, multiplexes and religious places to contain the scourge of covid-19. Over to the Indian populace in their best interests! DS Kang

Decision welcomed, no time for laxity

It is heartening that the state’s Covid curve in most of the parameters have started falling. But still there is no reason for being complacent and the situation needs to be closely watched to prevent resurfacing in near future. However, the proposed move of the state government in allowing reopening of cinema halls with half of capacity is welcomed, more because of the fact that we have to adopt certain strategy of co-existing with the virus which is going to stay for an indefinite period of time as per the opinion of some experts on the subject. The said strategy aims to keep the public sensitised about the impending risks coupled with basic precautions to be taken while leading a normal social life .The festival season is knocking at our doors and the people need to learn celebrating the occasions while remaining fully awakened to their responsibilities towards their own health as well as others. Jagdish Chander

‘Life has to be lived normally’

As the wave of Covid is receding in India and government allowing cinema halls to reopen with 50 per cent capacity, however, it will take a while for people to feel safe in an enclosed place. Bollywood is the biggest revenue generating industry and is suffering great because of the virus’ impact, so it’s a welcome decision to reopen the cinema halls but adequate physical distance is mandatory, meaning every alternate seat needs to be kept vacant. Instead of counter ticket, advance booking should be allowed to avoid crowding and delivery of food should not be allowed inside and people should be allowed after checking the temperature. It is the need of the hour. For how long the pandemic will stay, nobody knows, so life has to be lived normally but by taking all precautions as wearing masks, maintaing social distance and frequent sanitisation. Shashi Kiran