Kolkata, Aug 9 (PTI) Several facilities of a multiplex chain in and around Kolkata did brisk business with a new release during the first weekend after reopening following a three-month hiatus owing to Covid-19 related restrictions, an official of the company said on Monday.

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The response has encouraged the authorities to open the other facilities and release three more new films - one each from Hollywood, Bollywood and the local Bengali industry in the next two weeks, Regional Director (East) of Inox multiplex chain Amitava Guha Thakurta said.

The national multiplex chain released a new Hollywood film, 'Suicide Squad', in six of its facilities in and around Kolkata on August 5, when the theatres reopened abiding by Covid-19 protocols such as ensuring operation with 50 per cent of total seating arrangement.

"While two shows on Saturday and Sunday at one of our plexes in Kolkata was houseful with 50 per cent of total capacity, there was an encouraging response to the shows in all six auditoriums since August 5, Guha Thakurta told PTI.

The footfall increased as the weekend approached he said adding that three more facilities of the chain will open by this week.

"Three new releases, of Hollywood, Bollywood and Bengali, will hit the screens in the next two weeks," Guha Thakurta said.

Buoyed by the response, some of the single-screen and local plex owners are readying their facilities to open by August 13, the next Friday. They have been jittery about whether or not the audience will come to theatres.

"The good response of 'Suicide Squad' which opened in multiplexes was unexpected in Covid time. A new Bengali film, 'Horror Stories', will be released in many single screens on August 13. We are also thinking about opening on that day," said Satadeep Saha, the owner of Ajanta cinema and a local multiplex chain.

SVF Productions said the multiplexes owned by the Kolkata-based group will be opened by August 13.

A spokesman of the Eastern India Motion Pictures Association said some of the single screens of Kolkata are hopeful to reopen with new releases from August 13.

However, Navin Chokhani, owner of Navina cinema would still like to wait for some more before taking any decision.

"If we open, it has to be sustained by regular contents. One-two releases during August 15 or afterwards may not ensure what will happen in September. We are looking at the distributors to come up with announcements," he said.

The West Bengal government allowed the theatres to start screening movies following Covid protocols from July 31, three months after ordering them to shut down in view of the surging Covid-19 cases in the second wave of the pandemic.

However, none of the functional single screens, numbering around 40-50, and multiplexes in Kolkata opened on that day.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)