Kolkata Cinemas' Brief Blackout: A Business Decision, Not Industry Collapse
For a brief period this week, cinema screens across Kolkata went dark, sparking widespread speculation that the Bengali film industry had come to a grinding halt. However, theatre owners have clarified that the reality is far less dramatic and much more practical—a temporary pause driven purely by economic calculations rather than any systemic collapse.
The Stark Economics Behind the Decision
At Priya Cinema, managing director Arijit Dutta explains that the halt in screenings was simply a business decision shaped by plummeting weekday attendance. "The situation is being completely misrepresented," Dutta emphasizes. "We haven't shut down permanently—we closed for a couple of days because sales simply didn't justify running the theatre. Our operating costs far exceed our current earnings."
Dutta outlines the stark financial numbers that forced this decision. "On Monday, our total sales were approximately ₹9,000, Tuesday around ₹7,000, and Wednesday again roughly ₹7,000. After distributor shares, we're left with barely ₹3,000–₹4,000. Meanwhile, the daily operating cost of running the hall ranges from ₹20,000 to ₹25,000. Financially, it makes absolutely no sense to continue operating under these conditions."
Unsustainable Weekday Footfall Patterns
The weekday turnout has dipped to levels that simply cannot sustain operations. "On weekdays, we're seeing no more than 70–80 people across four shows," Dutta reveals. "That's completely unsustainable. We're trying to remain open on weekends, but during weekdays we may have to shut again if this pattern continues."
For Dutta, the core issue isn't that audiences have abandoned theatres altogether, but that current film releases aren't drawing them in. "Ultimately, we're completely dependent on content quality. If there are no compelling releases, audiences simply won't come. Today's viewers value their time and money—they won't travel to watch a film unless they're convinced it's worth the investment."
The Content-Driven Solution
Dutta insists the situation transforms dramatically when strong films hit the screens. "When there's powerful content, the scenario changes completely. A hall like ours can easily attract 2,000 people. The cost of running the theatre remains constant—what changes is whether the films bring audiences through the doors. Currently, the problem isn't with theatres themselves, but with the lack of films that people genuinely want to watch."
Planned Closures and Strategic Timing
A similar economic calculation informed the temporary closure at Navina Cinema. Owner Navin Chowkhani explains that their shutdown had been planned well in advance and aligned strategically with a lean release window. "We had already scheduled temporary closure for renovations—this wasn't a sudden, reactive decision," Chowkhani clarifies. "The timing was deliberate because we could foresee in advance that there wouldn't be strong content in theatres during this period, and footfall was likely to remain minimal."
The theatre chose to complete maintenance work during this quiet period rather than disrupt operations during busier times. "We scheduled the work now instead of during a peak window," Chowkhani adds. The hall is set to reopen on March 17, with expectations tied directly to upcoming releases including Durandar. "We're reopening on March 17, and we anticipate better turnout immediately after, especially with Durandar releasing on March 19. When strong films arrive, audiences do return—so this closure was part planning, part timing, not a crisis response."
Structural Imbalance in Exhibition Business
Collectively, these temporary pauses reveal less about industry shutdown and more about a structural imbalance affecting single-screen theatres. These establishments find themselves increasingly caught between:
- Rising operating costs that continue to escalate
- Uneven film supply that creates feast-or-famine scenarios
- Changing audience behavior that demands quality content
- Weekday attendance patterns that have become unpredictable
When releases thin out, weekday attendance collapses completely; when compelling films arrive, audiences return almost immediately. Exhibitors emphasize that recent closures aren't signals of disappearing moviegoers, but rather reminders that theatres ultimately depend on a steady, consistent flow of films that make the cinematic experience worthwhile for modern audiences.
The temporary blackout across Kolkata screens serves as a wake-up call about the delicate economics of cinema exhibition, where survival depends not just on audience interest, but on the consistent availability of films that justify both the financial cost and time investment for today's discerning viewers.
