LI Network
Published on: October 18, 2023 at 11:40 IST
The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to reconsider a request from Seven Screen Studios, the producers of the film ‘Leo’ starring Vijay, to allow five shows a day in cinemas, scheduled between 7 AM and 1:30 AM.
While refraining from issuing an immediate order for a 4 AM show on the film’s release date, Justice Anita Sumanth urged the State to reevaluate the request for shows starting from 7 AM.
The petitioners argued that, given the film’s duration of 2 hours and 45 minutes, along with mandatory gaps between shows and a 20-minute interval, it would be impossible to accommodate five daily screenings between 9:00 AM and 1:30 AM. Consequently, they requested a relaxation in the show commencement time to 7 AM.
Justice Sumanth noted that the State had an existing government order allowing film screenings in theaters only between 9 AM and 1:30 AM. Although the State had approved the request for five daily shows, the government order did not relax the commencement time. The State has agreed to reconsider the request for a time change.
The Court stressed that any reconsideration should prioritize public safety and prevent overcrowding and chaos in theaters.