The Telangana government today reportedly agreed to reopen film theatres across the state from July 23.
A key decision in this regard was taken by the Telangana Film Chamber which met to discuss the issue today. Chamber presidents Murali Mohan and Sunil Narang helmed the meeting.
The distributors, theatre owners and other stakeholders who attended the meeting all agreed that it was now safe to slowly start reopening the theatres in the state as the government had seen it fit to lift all the earlier lockdown restrictions.
Chamber representatives had earlier met Cinematography Minister T Srinivas Yadav to urge him to permit them to "unlock" the theatres as "thousands of film industry workers" were facing pressing pecuniary problems due to lack of employment opportunities caused by the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown. They had pointed out that with Covid-19 cases now falling, it would be alright to reopen the theatres.
The body had also appealed to the government to release the necessary orders in this regard, and to provide the incentives and subsidies for the distribution and exhibition of films that had been promised to the film industry to help it back on its feet.
On hearing all this, Yadav had reportedly assented to the reopening of the film theatres.
The minister assured the body that he would inform Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao about the matter and would request him to release the appropriate orders.
The opening of the theatres will provide some much-needed reprieve to film industry personalities and workers, and also to the people who have missed enjoying films on the big screen.