John Abraham on movies releasing in cinema halls
actor John abraham On Wednesday, he said he saw the closure of cinema halls during the pandemic as a time of “restructuring” as he knew audiences would eventually gather confidence and start visiting cinemas when they reopen. Cinema halls remained closed for most of 2020 and later, reopened across the country in a phased manner. Maharashtra, a major hub for Hindi films, allowed cinemas to reopen last month, prompting back-to-back film releases from the industry.
While there were concerns that a closed space such as a cinema hall would not be safe for spectators, critics believed that it would prevent them from entering theatres.
Asked if he ever fears that audiences will not come to watch films, Abraham said the pandemic should be seen with an opportunity to reset.
“I wasn’t scared, I was practical. I knew it would take time. It’s still in process. If you ask me, if we’re 100 percent there, the answer is no. People are still in the process of pouring in. . Their heads are coming closer together and in.”
“You had a practical recalculation in mind, how you wanted to produce a certain film, when you’re going to hit the floors. There was just a recalculation, no fear. You have to deal with the current situation you’re in,” Abraham he said.
The actor was speaking at a special event of PVR, where the multiplex chain introduced an anti-viral cinema air purification system.
PVR, in partnership with UFO Moviez, announced the installation of a cinema-specific air sterilization device called the ‘UFO-Wolf AirMask’.
According to the multiplex chain, it will “offer real-time air sterilization, providing protection against all kinds of harmful bacteria, viruses and microbes in the air and surfaces”.
Abraham, who is gearing up for the release of his latest action film “Satyamev Jayate 2” on Thursday, said the move will make the theatrical experience safer for the audience.
“The biggest fear when we enter a cinema hall is that it is dark, air-conditioned and when you cough, everyone turns around. With this technology, you can remove all those fears. Simply put In other words, it is very safe people. The fun of watching a movie in a cinema hall is when you come out with your friends, family or yourself. With this technology you will know that if there is a place in the whole city. You are safe, it is inside a cinema hall now. Earlier you were scared here, but now you are safe here. So please remove your fear.”
The event was graced by Gautam Dutta, CEO, PVR; Kapil Agarwal, Joint Managing Director, UFO Movies; and Sujesh Sugunan, Chairman and CEO, Allabout Innovation.
UFO Moviez is associated with Allabout Innovations Pvt Ltd, a technology promotion firm based in Kochi, which distributes its product to cinemas in India on an exclusive basis.
‘UFO-Wolf Airmask’ units will be installed in all PVR screens and its upcoming properties across the country.
Dutta said that when cinema halls began to reopen, the team realized that the audience had some “inherent fear” about the safety of stepping into the theatre.
“They had an inherent fear, some question, is it (come to the cinema hall) safe? However, we kept saying that we had government protocol of double, triple ceiling heights, alternate seating, people said, ‘No, this Not enough.’ We needed a solution to go far beyond the protocol laid down by the government. We really believe it will be a confidence booster for consumers to come back to theatres,” he said.
According to Dutta, about 60 per cent of PVR’s entire circuit is already equipped with the new technology and by December 15, every auditorium – 855 – will be installed across the country. The device will also be installed in the lobby and washroom.
On average, there will be about 4.5 devices per auditorium. Appliances come in three categories, covering an area of 1,000 sq ft, 500 sq ft and 250 sq ft respectively.
The device has been successfully tested on SARS COVID-2 VIRUS at Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology, Trivandrum, an ICMR Accredited and ILAC Accredited Lab (International), specially designed for Cinema Halls, PVR’s A note claimed.
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