Cinema halls should reopen with adequate Covid-19 measures, it’s time: Harish Shankar

Director

and

screenwriter Harish Shankar

has used his free time during the lockdown to educate people about the Covid-19 pandemic and measures that are to be taken on his social media.

He went a step ahead and also did his best to help migrant workers and those in need whenever he could. Despite the rise in cases, the country has entered in Unlock 4.0 and Harish Shankar believes people need to be all the more careful now. “Now that they have reopened almost everything, including allowing film and

television shooting

, we all need to understand the need to follow guidelines even more now. The doctors, medical staff, police and sanitisation departments are working hard and we need to support them by staying safe,” he adds.

With the lockdown in the country imposed in March, it has been more than six months since

cinema halls

across the country remain shut even as gyms, pubs and other establishments are allowed to reopen. Shooting for film and television shows however progress with limited crew, following all the guidelines, including usage of PPE kits, masks and social distancing.

“But, before talking about the film industry and theatres, I want to say that I believe all institutions and sectors should re-open as it has been too long. I even read that should clamp-down continue, it will lead to hunger-related deaths more than Corona. And that’s something that needs to bother everyone. That doesn’t mean people shouldn’t follow all Covid-19 norms of wearing a mask, social distancing and more,” he says, adding, “I was able to help a few people during the lockdown but six months later, I am not as cushy as I used to be as everything is uncertain. So, I believe cinema halls should also open with adequate measures.”

But people have gotten used to

OTT

so will people even head to theatres, we ask. He laughs, “When televisions were brought to India, many thought it was the end of cinema halls. Then came the internet, bringing along with it OTT. However, the last few years have already shown that movie buffs still love the communal experience of watching a film at the theatre. One best example is when Gabbar Singh was pirated, yet audience came to the cinema hall to watch it. The euphoria of a first-day-first-show and even later, is not something you can experience at home.”

Harish Shankar reinstates that cinema is a huge part of Indian culture. “You hang out with friends and family, catch up over a movie, laugh with them, cry with them even as a fictional story unfolds on-screen. It’s truly a feeling that’s unmatched,” he says.
While he’s yet to kick-start shoot for his next film with Pawan Kalyan, what’s keeping him busy, we wonder. “My podcast that I named Sounds Good – I share all my life experiences on there. I’ve gotten great feedback; it encourages me to do more. I would also like to address social issues on it and use the platform for some good. I believe we should use the digital revolution for the best of humankind,” he says, rounding off.