Since the initial Covid-19 lockout in March last year, India’s Bollywood film industry, which is the world’s largest in terms of number of films produced and second largest after Hollywood in terms of worldwide impact, has been on edge. Thousands of cinemas have been shuttered, supply lines and post-production have already been affected, and major employment losses have resulted.
Each year 1600-1800 films get made jointly in various languages in India. A year, around 200-250 Hindi films are produced, with the Hindi film business, often known as Bollywood, generating a little over 30 billion Indian rupees in box office receipts (341 million euros).
More than 70% of the box office for Hindi films, even high budget films, comes from multiplexes, and the contribution of smaller single screens is insufficient to make a significant difference in the earnings. Several significant films that have already been completed have been placed on hold, and dynamic responses have already been postponed.
Even Tollywood, the southern Indian film industry, is facing its greatest crisis ever, with losses estimated at 9 billion rupees (102.5 million euros) for the Kerala movie industry, as a plethora of films, including potential blockbusters, remain unreleased.
In a new conversation, actor Tamannaah Bhatia remarked, “There are many daily wage employees in the business who are terribly affected right now, and they’re the ones who truly need the livelihood more than anyone else.”
Producers aren’t the only ones who are in a bind. Other stakeholders, such as multiplexes, film exhibitors, and theatre owners, are also experiencing difficulties.
This is from an Ernst & Young 2020 study, India has around 9,527 screens, including 6,327 single-screen theatres and 3,200 movie theatres. Around 1,000 screens closed their doors completely that year.
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