The Multiplex Association of India (MAI)has postponed the upcoming celebration of the National Cinema Day that was supposed to happen on the 16th of September. The date has been pushed by a week and now the day will be celebrated on the 23rd of September. The main reason behind the decision seems to be the audience’s madness towards the recently released Brahmastra, starring Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor.
Reason for postponement of National Cinema Day
According to the statement by MAI, the celebratory occasion has been pushed back “on request from various stakeholders and in order to maximize participation.” While there is no information about any logistical and operational issues around the event, it seems that the date has been postponed to rope in a larger number of participating screens as well as viewers.
I believe that a big reason behind this postponement is the audience’s craze for the recently released movie Brahmastra. The MAI might have postponed the date by a week to boost the revenues of the movie. With Brahmastra’s release, the footfalls of theatres have increased after a long time and so it seems like the theatre owners want to maximize their share since the film has been getting huge audiences to the theatres.
National Cinema Day: About
It is a one-day event organized by MAI where viewers will get to watch any movie at a participating theatre for Rs. 75. The event has not seen any movie theatre or multiplex announce any special screening, which is otherwise the norm in movie festivals that are organized anywhere in the world. So, you will be able to watch movies currently running in theatres at subsidized prices. There might be limitations on the number of tickets a viewer can obtain and the class in which the discount is being given.
An official statement by MAI and FICCI says, “National Cinema Day will bring together audiences of all ages to enjoy a day at the movies. It celebrates the successful reopening of cinemas and is a thank you to the moviegoers who made this happen. It is also an invitation to those moviegoers who haven’t made it back to a cinema near them, yet.”
MAI claims that the Indian market has seen one of the sharpest recoveries in terms of revenues and audience interest in the film business- which has seen a major transition away from the big screen movie theatre experience to an at-home OTT experience. Buoyed by the pandemic, a number of major movies- both Bollywood and international- have either premiered on OTT platforms or featured on them soon after being released in theatres, often to lukewarm responses.
The platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+Hotstar have premiered high-budget movies such as Gangubai Kathiawadi from Bollywood and Thor: Love & Thunder from Hollywood.
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Movie Screens participating in National Cinema Day
Although the official list has not been disclosed yet, MAI claims that over 4000 screens are participating in the event across India. These will include PVR, Inox, Cinepolis, Carnival Cinemas, Miraj, City Pride, Asian Cinemas, Mukta A2, Movie Time, Wave Cinemas, M2K, Delite, and more. You can confirm the list by accessing the social handles of multiples or via the hashtag #NationalCinemaDay on Twitter & Instagram.
Ticket Prices on National Cinema Day
The ticket prices have been fixed at Rs. 75 across India. The MAI and FICCI have confirmed that any exclusions from the ticket pricing, as well as restrictions on how many tickets can be purchased, will be known at the discretion of the local theatres.
How to book tickets at Special Price?
To book tickets at Rs. 75, on September 23rd, viewers will have to access the website of multiplexes, as well as third-party sites like BookMyShow, and select the right date to view which shows are accessible on the day. The details about the timings, pricing, and availability will get more clear as 23rd September gets closer.
