It had to happen. And it is happening. Staff of multiplexes in Maharashtra will protest tomorrow (9th August) against the state government’s apathy towards them. While hotels and restaurants in the state have been granted permission to reopen, cinemas — single-screen as well as multiplexes — have still been asked to remain closed till further orders. With mounting losses, it is becoming very difficult, almost impossible, for cinemas to now remain shut. It is to underline their plight that the staff of multiplexes will protest tomorrow at different locations like Infiniti Mall (Andheri and Malad in Bombay), Phoenix Market City (Kurla, Bombay), R City (Ghatkopar, Bombay and Thane), Growels 101 (Kandivali East, Bombay), Inorbit Mall (Malad, Bombay), Seawoods Grand Central (Nerul, Navi Mumbai), Inorbit Mall (Vashi, Navi Mumbai), Orion Mall (Panvel, Navi Mumbai), Viviana Mall (Thane), Korum Mall (Thane), Phoenix Market City (Viman Nagar, Pune), Westend Mall (Aundh, Pune) and Elpro City Square (Pimpri-Chinchwad).
The multiplex staffers will be joined by staff of malls too because the mall owners are also waiting for permission to reopen. It may be mentioned here that malls were allowed to reopen in the state on 2nd August but the permission was soon withdrawn.
For the urgent reopening of cinemas and malls in Maharashtra, a joint press conference will be addressed tomorow (9th August) by the Multiplex Association of India, the Shopping Centres Association of India, and the Retailers Association of India at The Oriental Residency, Khar West, Bombay at 12.30 p.m. Kamal Gianchandani, president, MAI, will be the film industry’s representative who will address the media.