By Renuka Dhakal

Kathmandu, Mar. 19 When COVID –19 has already affected the entertainment industry around the world, including the southern neighbour, India, local film industry has also experienced the impact of the pandemic.
Deserted movie theatres and jobless actors and technicians are testimony to this.
Sacred by COVID-19, movie goers have stopped visiting the theatres, greatly worrying the producers and exhibitors.
Jay Nepal of Hattisar was almost empty on Wednesday when this reporter reached there in the afternoon.
According to Roshan Adiga, Chief Executive Officer of Team Quest, number of audience is gradually declining in the local movie theatres.
Except for weekend, average 40 to 50 per cent of audience would be in the hall which dropped to 15 to 20 per cent in recent days due to the fear of Coronavirus, he said.
Although all the QFX Cinemas have adopted preventive measures by keeping sanitizers in all the areas like food- court, ticket counter and frequently cleaning the floors to prevent the spread of coronavirus, still audience are not visiting the theatres, said Adiga.
Likewise, FCUB halls which used to have average occupancy of 40 to 45 per cent are now receiving only about 5 to 11 per cent audience, said Dinesh Shrestha, General Manager of FCUB.
Movie theatres have also been facing lack of movies as the film producers are postponing their new projects, said Sang Dorje Lama, Manager of Jaya Nepal Hall.
Lama said only 20 to 30 moviegoers were visiting the theatre on daily basis.
New movies are postponing their release date, compelling the theatres to screen the old movies.
Most of the QFX cinemas were screening, Nepali movie ‘Aama’ and Bollywood movies “Baaghi” and “English Medium’ on Wednesday.
However, the government Wednesday issued a notice to shut down all the theatres from March 19 to April 30.
Earlier, the Indian government had imposed similar restriction in the screening movies and operating theatres.