The wait for Malayalam movie lovers is finally coming to an end as theatres will start movie screenings on Wednesday.
No Time to Die, the latest instalment in the James Bond series, Marvel Studios Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and Hollywood thriller Venom 2 would be the first movies to hit the big screens. Mission C directed by Vinod Guruvayur and Joju George's Star will hit the screens on October 29.
Sivakarthikeyan film Doctor has been scheduled for October 28 release.
Dulquer Salmaan's much-awaited flick Kurup movie will release on November 12. Suresh Gopi starrer Kaaaval will release on November 24. Theatre owners have been informed that around 100 movies are ready to be released.
Producers and distributors are asking for slots from the last week of November. Superstar Rajinikanth's film Annathe is scheduled for November 4 and nothing has been decided yet regarding its Kerala release.
Two big Malayalam films are expected to reach theatres by Christmas. However, there is no clarity on the release date of big-budget Malayalam movies, including Mohanlal-starrer Marakkar. It is also reported that the makers of Marakkar are planning to opt for a digital release for the Priyadarshan film.
Guidelines for functioning
The theatres are allowed to fill only up to half its seating capacity for each show. Social distancing and the use of sanitizers and face masks are mandatory at the theatres.
During the interval of the show, theatres should be disinfected. The State Government's directive is to admit only those who have taken two doses of vaccines to the theatres. But the exhibitors' association has requested the State Government to allow entry to even those having taken a single dose of vaccine.
Theatres in Kerala, which first closed in March 2020, had reopened later, but much after other states, in January 2021. However, they had to be closed again in mid-April following the second wave of COVID-19.
