With no Telugu or Hindi blockbusters slated for release this summer, single-screen theatres across Telangana have decided to shut down for 10 days.
The managements of these theatres have decided to stop screening the movies from Friday to mitigate financial losses.
Vijayender Reddy, President of the Fim Exhibitors Association, said there has been a significant decline in audience turnout.
The occupancy in theatres has come down this season because of the absence of any big-budget movies.
Easy availability of content on OTT platforms, Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, and interest in the ongoing elections are cited as the other reasons for the drop in occupancy in single-screen theatres.
Reddy said the single-screen theatre owners are incurring huge losses. The expenses incurred on screening the movies are said to be higher than box-office collections.
Telangana has around 250 single-screen theatres. About 100 of them are in Hyderabad.
Several multiplexes, incidentally, have also reduced the number of shows, but smaller theatres had no option but to stop the screenings altogether.
After 10 days, the theatre managements will take stock of the situation and decide on reopening the theatres. The majority of them are not likely to reopen even after 10 days as the situation may not improve for them this month.
The movies of major stars are under production and the owners will have to wait longer.
Reddy said if the producers come forward to help the owners in running the theatres, these can be re-opened early.
