As the country entered its third round of lockdown extension earlier this week, the government relaxed certain restrictions in the areas identified as green zones. This has sparked a conversation in the exhibition sector that the theatrical screening of films, with adequate precautionary measures in place, may be resumed in the near future in these areas. But, of the 300 districts designated as green zones, 240 do not have theatres. In such a scenario, leading multiplex chains appear to have turned to PictureTime Digiplex, a portable theatre company, to revive the cinema-going practice.

"Even a leading chain like PVR has theatres in only 68 towns. In such a scenario, they would want to reach out to the green zones as soon as possible. So, our portable theatres will be required more than ever, and we can set up about 25 new ones in a month. We are in talks with two of the three leading multiplex chains," says Sushil Chaudhary, MD and CEO, PictureTime Digiplex, presumably referring to PVR, Inox and Cinemax.