Tiruchi theatres face uncertain future
TIRUCHI: Walking past Sippy Theatre on Sasthri Road is a surefire way to go down memory lane film lovers become nostalgic, remembering the many
happy hours they spent watching films from across the world at one of the oldest theatres in Tiruchi. The theatre, which was among the first in the city to have air-conditioning and digital audio systems has been closed for the past three years, but is still a landmark.
Sippy Theatre is not the only theatre that ran house-full until a few years back but has now fallen into disuse. Three of the five theatres in Maris complex, which played different genres of films, have been closed down. And joining the list of theatres that have shut down in the last few years are the popular Prabath and Jupiter.
"In the last seven years, more than 300 of the 450 theatres in the Tiruchi-Thanjavur region have shut shop. Most of them were in semi-urban and rural areas," says C P Ranganathan, secretary, Tiruchirapalli, Thanjavur Theatre Owners' Association. He says most theatres are facing an uncertain future and are on the brink of closing down.
"Earlier, we could find theatres for second releases in semi-urban areas, called B centres. After a weeks' run, we reaped good returns and sold the film reel to theatres in rural C centres. Nowadays, it is very difficult to find theatres in these areas," says S Guru, proprietor of Akshaya Films, a film distributor in
Tiruchi.
For instance, there are no theatres in towns like Pulivalam and Manachanallur, centres that once gave good returns, says C Kumaresan, who was distributing low budget films until five years back.
Lack of patronage is the main reason why theatres are going out of business. "People come to theatres for entertainment; it was the only source for films. Now abundant entertainment is being provided by satellite channels. Women hardly come to theatres these days as all films are shown on TV, apart from serials," says
Ranganathan. The cost of running a theatre has increased manifold, while the returns have diminished.
Desperation forced some theatre owners to ask the state government to open bars on theatre premises. But most theatres owners are against this idea as it would deter women and children from coming to theatres.
More than 80% of the theatres that have closed down are in B and C centres, Ranganthan points out, adding that the state government should step in to save existing theatres by providing subsidies for electricity for these theatres. EOM
happy hours they spent watching films from across the world at one of the oldest theatres in Tiruchi. The theatre, which was among the first in the city to have air-conditioning and digital audio systems has been closed for the past three years, but is still a landmark.
Sippy Theatre is not the only theatre that ran house-full until a few years back but has now fallen into disuse. Three of the five theatres in Maris complex, which played different genres of films, have been closed down. And joining the list of theatres that have shut down in the last few years are the popular Prabath and Jupiter.
"In the last seven years, more than 300 of the 450 theatres in the Tiruchi-Thanjavur region have shut shop. Most of them were in semi-urban and rural areas," says C P Ranganathan, secretary, Tiruchirapalli, Thanjavur Theatre Owners' Association. He says most theatres are facing an uncertain future and are on the brink of closing down.
"Earlier, we could find theatres for second releases in semi-urban areas, called B centres. After a weeks' run, we reaped good returns and sold the film reel to theatres in rural C centres. Nowadays, it is very difficult to find theatres in these areas," says S Guru, proprietor of Akshaya Films, a film distributor in
Tiruchi.
For instance, there are no theatres in towns like Pulivalam and Manachanallur, centres that once gave good returns, says C Kumaresan, who was distributing low budget films until five years back.
Lack of patronage is the main reason why theatres are going out of business. "People come to theatres for entertainment; it was the only source for films. Now abundant entertainment is being provided by satellite channels. Women hardly come to theatres these days as all films are shown on TV, apart from serials," says
Ranganathan. The cost of running a theatre has increased manifold, while the returns have diminished.
Desperation forced some theatre owners to ask the state government to open bars on theatre premises. But most theatres owners are against this idea as it would deter women and children from coming to theatres.
More than 80% of the theatres that have closed down are in B and C centres, Ranganthan points out, adding that the state government should step in to save existing theatres by providing subsidies for electricity for these theatres. EOM
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