Tamil Nadu allows 6 daily shows for new releases; theatre owners call it ‘Deepavali gift’

• Tamil Nadu allows theatres to screen up to six shows daily for major new releases, with screenings permitted from 6 am.

• Theatre owners hail the decision as a “Deepavali gift” and a long-standing industry demand.

• Association estimates the move could increase entertainment tax receipts by 20% and boost the number of functional screens.

The Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners Association on Wednesday welcomed the state government's decision to allow theatres to screen up to six shows a day for major new releases, calling it a “Deepavali gift” to the film industry.

Association president Tirupur Subramaniam said the decision to permit screenings from 6 am addressed a long-standing demand of the industry and increased the daily show limit from the earlier four-to-five-show cap.

He pointed out that neighbouring states, including Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, already permitted early morning screenings from 6 am.

“When screenings commenced at 9 am in Tamil Nadu, audiences across other southern states were completing their shows by 8.15 am to 8.30 am,” he said.

Subramaniam argued that in the current digital media environment, public reviews and box-office verdicts reached audiences before the first show even began in Tamil Nadu, affecting viewer enthusiasm and opening-day collections for producers.

He said the industry had raised these operational difficulties with Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, who subsequently issued orders permitting 6 am screenings.

Theatre owners project higher tax revenue

Subramaniam said the revised limit of six shows a day could increase commercial entertainment tax receipts by an estimated 20%.

He argued that digitally monitored ticketing and revenue operations would allow the government to generate additional revenue without leakage.

The early morning screenings would also cater to different groups of viewers, including information technology employees finishing night shifts around 5 am, as well as office-goers and government employees wanting to watch the first show before reporting to work.

Industry seeks overhaul of cinema regulations

The association president said industry bodies had also urged the government to overhaul outdated provisions under the Tamil Nadu Cinemas (Regulation) Act, 1952.

He said the government had assured the industry that existing regulations would be reviewed after Deepavali and aligned with contemporary requirements.

Subramaniam claimed that regulatory changes could help double the number of functional cinema screens in Tamil Nadu from the current 1,200 by 2026-27.

He said the expansion would create additional theatrical space for both big-budget productions and smaller films, while addressing the industry's pending demands without causing revenue losses to the government.