Actor Emraan Hashmi said filmmakers had to release their obsession with the box office number because having a theater release in the middle of the Coronavirus Pandemic itself was a step towards the rise of the industry.
Tunas films throughout India came to traffic jams because of the first pandemic during the national locking last year and then earlier this year when the second wave hit the country.
The increasingly worrying situation also pushed the theater to remain closed for months, to finally open operations in Delhi and other countries recently.
Maharashtra, the key center for Hindi films, is still not allowed by the cinema room to open.
Hashmi, the latest film ‘Chehre’ prepares for the theater release on Friday, saying he is happy that the industry finally gets momentum.
This is the second release in Cinema Halls after ‘Mumbai Saga’, which opened in March.
“I am happy that the theater opened after a long gap.
I am the only actor who has two releases in this pandemic.
Some people might see it as a bold step of others might see it as a stupid step.
“But the obsession with our industrial box office should not be, at least not now.
The rules have changed, the game has changed,” the actor said to PTI in an interview.
Hashmi said, while makers never “controlled” how their films will appear on the box office, the ongoing health crisis just makes it harder.
The 42-year-old actor praised Superstar Akshay Kumar and the ‘Bell Bottom’ manufacturer, because they released their films in the theater – the release of the biggest Hindi film since the pandemic.
Spy Thriller opened in the cinema room on August 19.
“With the box office, you never feel in control even before a pandemic, but has become a bigger question mark with today’s situation.
A movie might look entertaining but when you weigh your health and your family, you might give feedback because of Fear.
So now no one knows how it will come out.
The rules are still there, Maharashtra still hasn’t been opened.
“We have to stop worrying and sweating about opening a number, box office collection.
Someone must start, it must be done in that spirit.
Kudos to Akshay, the ‘Bell Bottom’ manufacturer, to take the initiative.
The same goes for films like ‘Roohi ‘,’ Mumbai Saga ‘.
It is very important for these films to do that.
”
Hashmi says this “complicated time” when everyone is not sure about the number of audiences which will eventually appear to watch films in the cinema hall.
He, however, said that it should not prevent the makers, especially those who could, to release their films in theaters.
Mystery Thriller ‘Chehre’, Co-Starring Amitabh Bachchan, was previously scheduled for July 2020 but was pushed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Then set to bend on April 30 only to be postponed again after the second wave of Covid-19.
The actor said that the industrial space and cinema were codependent and makers had to offer support to the exhibition sector, which had been beaten due to a pandemic.
“No one really knows how many people will come to the theater but it must be done with certain solidarity with theater owners.
There are synergy and dependence on them and vice versa.
The film industry and theater are both dependent on.
“OTT (over-the-top or digital platform) is always an option but the order of the day is that producers must understand there are thousands of livelihoods not only theater owners but distributors, their families must also be opened,” he added.
Directed by Rumy Jafry, ‘Chehre’ is also the Bintang Annu Kapoor, Krystle d’Souza, Drithiman Chakroborthy, Raghubir Yadav, Siddhanth Kapoor, and Rhea Chakraborty.
Emraan on the impact of Covid on the theater release
