Dhallywood in crisis again

Movie theatres in the country have fallen into a crisis in the ongoing unrest centering the quota reform movement. Like everything else, the cinema halls too were shut during curfew. The single screens and the multiplexes started reopening once the curfew was relaxed.

But there are no people in the halls. Plans of releasing new films are being cancelled as well. Everyone in the film industry including producers, directors and hall owners are facing losses. This has put Dhallywood into fresh crisis.

Even in the fifth week since the Eid holidays, there was significant interest about films among the audience while the situation was normal. There was crowds on the weekends. Meanwhile, some of the single screens started reopening when the curfew was relaxed. And after taking some time to observe the situation, the multiplexes started reopening from last Thursday.

Senior marketing officer of Star Cineplex, Mezbah Uddin Ahmed said, "Back when the situation was normal, we had 48 shows of the film ‘Toofan’ in our multiplex. We were hopeful that if it continues like this we would be able to run smoothly when there’s another quality film. But, you can say the business has taken a nosedive amid this unrest."

"Where we used to get 100 per cent audience earlier, there’s not even 10 per cent viewers now. We suffered a huge loss. Though the situation seems to be improving a bit, will there be as much audience as before when the situation is better? Just as we suffered losses, the whole film industry also came under threat," he added.

Reportedly, there are only two shows running at the Cineplex, one at 11:00 am and the other at 1:00 pm. The hall owners stated, most of the time except for the Eid holidays, they do not even earn enough to meet the expenses properly at the end of the month.

Under such circumstances, they were becoming hopeful centering the two Eid holidays. For, the audience was coming back to the halls after a long time. Before this unrest, Manihar cinema hall in Jashore made a good profit from screening the film ‘Toofan’. But, the earnings have stopped altogether now.

Managing director of Manihar Cinema Hall, Ziaul Islam told Prothom Alo, "We took a big hit there. The audience was regularly visiting the cinema halls. Now there has been such a break that it just ruined the continuity of audience coming to cinemas."

"Even if the situation turns normal now, it doesn’t seem there would be as many audiences coming back like before. Plus, there have to be quality films," added he.

Some think films have to be released and promoted one by one through proper planning when the situation has become normal. Only then the desolate cinema halls will become houseful again.  

Senior vice president of the Hall Exhibitors Association Mia Alauddin said, "We don’t have the capability to meet the losses that has been caused to the film industry this time. As it is there are not many cinema halls left."

"The ones that survived were also limping. In this situation who would come forward to release a film! The achievements from the films Poran, Hawa, Shurongo, Priyotoma and Toofan just went in vain. The empty cinema halls need government’s help now," Mia Alauddin added.

According to Hall Exhibitors Association information, for the time being there’s no possibility of any new film being released in the current condition of the country. A film named ‘Haimantir Itikatha’ cancelled out of the release list last Friday. The director of the film is worried about when will he release the film later.

Meanwhile, another film ‘Nandini’ was on the way to be released next Friday. Director of the film Shoaibur Rahman doesn’t want to release the film amid the current situation.

He said, "Seeing a good influx of audience we had planned to release our film on 2 August. Everything was finalised. The situation is such that audience does not have the mentality to visit the cinemas now. If there’s no audience how will we get our investments back?"

We are planning on releasing the film at the end of August if the situation turns normal. Meanwhile, we are following up on the release date of Shakib Khan’s film ‘Dorod’. We might also delay the release of our film to the end of September.”

The last film that released after the Eid holidays is ‘Ajob Karkhana’. While the film welcomed audience till 17 July, all the shows got cancelled after that.

Director of the film Shabnam Ferdousi, said, “We were getting audiences as expected. We had an audience on Wednesday also. After that, there have been no screenings of the film till now. Now we are waiting for the cinema halls to reopen fully. May be then we will be able to release the movie again.”

From the business perspective, Dhallywood is faced with huge losses. The damage that has been done cannot be met in any way, believes former leader of the producers’ association Khorshed Alam Khasru.

He said, "The blow on the business of cinema halls will have an impact on entire Dhallywood. In this environment of fear that has been created, the audience won’t leave their house to watch a film at least. Now is not a suitable time to release good movies either."

"If it becomes impossible to even run the films, it will impact the investments also. But if there are better quality movies after the two Eid holidays, they have to be released through proper planning. We have to make up for our losses," he added.