New Delhi:Â Bollywood biggies have given Diwali the passover despite cinemas opening, so the festival weekend will be all about small to medium budget films taking up big screen space. Production houses are yet to officially announce their list of films ready to release after the Centre’s recent nod to open cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes across India at 50 per cent capacity, but there has been a buzz about the films that can be expected to release around Diwali.
Raj Kumar Mehrotra, general manager at the Capital’s Delite Cinema, shared a list of movies that look likely to hit the theatres around Diwali next month.
“‘Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari’ starring Manoj Bajpayee, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Diljit Dosanjh, the Kiara Advani-starrer ‘Indoo Ki Jawani’ and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s production ‘Tuesdays And Fridays’, starring Anmol Dhillon, Zoa Morani and Niki Walia, look all set to make it to the theatres on Diwali,” he shared. There have also been rumours that Aditya Chopra might release “Bunty Aur Babli 2” in the festival week.
As far as Hollywood films go, Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet”, Niki Caro’s “Mulan” are the likely contenders. “Several regional language films have also been finalised for release in the Diwali week,” informed Mehrotra but a lot depends on the footfall, he added. “Right now we are expecting 20 to 30 per cent occupancy, but it will gradually increase once patrons start visiting cinema hall,” he added.
Trade analyst Girish Johar also shared the same concerns. He feels that October and Diwali 2020 will be all about small films. “We haven’t got blanket approval. We have the central government’s approval but cinemas is a state subject. There are certain states that are yet to give approval.
For example, Maharashtra is number one theatrical business wise for the Hindi films. The state has still not given a green signal. The other reason is safety. It will take four to six weeks for normal walk-ins to happen. So, while cinemas will be open by Diwali in mid November, Christmas I think will have a big release lined up, which should get things rolling again,” Johar said.