All movie theatres in Kerala will be closed from 11 March as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease COVID-19.
“The decision has been taken in consultation with all the film associations,” says Siyad Koker, president of the Kerala Film Distributors Association. “We will have our next review meeting on 16 March and decide on further action. Until then the theatres would remain closed.”
The theatres may remain closed till 31 March .
Both the private and the government theatres shall remain closed until there is an update on the status of the virus outbreak. “Yes all the government theatres are remaining closed,” confirmed Thaddeus, administrative officer at the Kerala State Film Development Corporation.
On Tuesday morning Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had advised against visiting movie theatres or other venues where a number of people may gather together and risk the spread of the virus. As of Tuesday morning, there have been a total of 15 confirmed cases in the state, out of which three had recovered earlier. The other 12 are being quarantined in different hospitals.
Malayalam actor Tovino Thomas had on Monday posted on Facebook that the release of his film Kilometers & Kilometers is being postponed in light of the coronavirus fear. “On understanding that one of the best methods to contain the spread of COVID-19 is to avoid mass gatherings and get-togethers, we are postponing the release of Kilometers & Kilometers.
"The film is the dream and effort of many days. But what is more important now is our health and the health of the people around us. We are the people who overcame Nipah and became a model for the whole world, we will also overcome this. We should be responsible citizens and be careful, we should follow the instructions of the government and the health department, and protect the people with us,” Tovino wrote.
Mohanlal starrer Marakkar: Arabikadaline Simham, a big budget period movie directed by Priyadarshan, was also supposed to release on 26 March – but this may also likely be postponed.
(This copy has been published in an arrangement with The News Minute.)
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