Four actors of the Bengali film industry, three of them ruling TMC MPs, have urged the Centre to consider re-opening movie theatres with necessary COVID-19 protocols in place, underscoring that cinema hall owners and employees are under severe financial duress. Sources in the industry said the actor-MPs have made the plea as members of Tollywood, and not in their political capacities.

Actor Dev, who has shouldered a string of blockbusters, tweeted on Sunday, “Requesting GOI to rethink about Opening of Cinema http://Halls.So many families are depending upon Cinema Hall.” “Requesting @PrakashJavdekar ji with folded hands ji to rethink about the decision #SupportMovieTheaters #SaveCinemas,” the Ghatal MP said. Basirhat MP and actor Nusrat Jahan also sought the intervention of I&B minister Prakash Javadekar for re-opening of cinema halls.

“The highest tax-paying Entertainment Industry is on the verge of collapse. Its high time to open Cinema Halls with requisite SOPs in place. Requesting the kind intervention of @PrakashJavdekar Ji & @kishanreddybjp Ji,” she tweeted, with hashtags #SupportMovieTheatres and #SaveCinema. Jadavpur MP Mimi Chakraborty, and actor-director Parambrata Chatterjee shared a picture with similar hashtags on their Twitter profiles.

The Eastern India Motion Pictures Association (EIMPA) and the Multiplex Association of India (MAI) had in June separately urged the Centre to grant permission for restarting shows in cinema halls. “We were under the impression that halls would open by September. But the new unlock advisory by the Home Ministry has no such mention. The employees of 250-odd single screens in Bengal are under serious economic stress. The hall owners are also struggling to stay afloat,” an EIMPA spokesman said.

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