SANJEEV GIRI
KATHMANDU, JUN 30
The world is rocking to the soccer World Cup but theatre business entrepreneurs here are tearing their hair. Audiences that used to throng the theatres, are engrossed in football. Theatres in the Capital are deserted, to the extent that these entrepreneurs are losing money by the million, so to say.
Hollywood, Bollywood and Kollywood superstars have been shoved aside by soccer heroes like Leonel Messi, Christiano Ronaldo and Kaka. Latest releases like Ranasangram, Berojgaar, Abhiyaan, Raavan, Krantiveer, The Karate Kid and The A-team are mere minnows in front of the World Cup attraction.
Theatres across the valley are losing audiences during morning and evening shows. The movie buffs who used to throng the theatres are now haunting restaurants, bars, pubs and streets where the World Cup matches are shown on big screens.
Nakimuddin, Chairman of Quest Entertainment Private Limited, bemoaned that his multiplex has been losing audiences continuously due to the soccer World Cup. He said, “Football has great fan following in Nepal and the timing of the World Cup collides with evening cinema shows. There is continuous decline in the size of theatre audiences.”
According to him, business in his two multiplexes dwindled so much that they were compelled to cancel evening shows in between the matches of Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Portugal. Quest Entertainment runs two theaters — Jai Nepal and Kumari in the valley.
With the beginning of knockout matches, business at the theatres is expected to decline further as people’s interest in the mega event is mounting.
According to Sambhu Sitaula, marketing manager of Guna Cinema Hall, the number of movie goers has declined by 60 to 70 percent due to the soccer World Cup. Sitaula said, “All the shows are seriously affected by the World Cup. We are getting smaller and smaller audiences even on Friday and Saturday.” Normally, Friday and Saturday are good business days for theatres.
Guna Cinema is currently screening Hindi movies Raavan and Rajneeti, Nepali movies Ranasangram, Berojgaar, Aviyan, Kasam Hajurko, Hifajat and a Newari movie Patachara.
The same is the state of Gopi Krishna Movies Pvt Ltd. According to its manager Pradeep Dahal, the number of people coming to the theatre has gone down dramatically due to the soccer World Cup. The situation of Gopi Krishna is so pathetic that only one or two of its seven screens are operating during evening shows. Dahal said, “The World Cup rules. It has done serious damage to theatre business in Nepal.”
Dahal said another theatre, Hira Ratna, operated by the Gopi Krishna Movies Pvt Ltd is lying closed due to the World Cup. He said, “Football fever rules.”
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