Tamil Nadu allows 6 AM cinema shows and sets firecracker timings
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay permits early morning film shows while the state limits firecracker use to two one-hour windows.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has issued a government order permitting 6 AM shows for upcoming Diwali film releases, according to a report by Hindustan Times. The order allows six shows daily for new Tamil films between 6 AM and 2:30 AM the following day for one week from their release.
The new rules also apply to local festival days, public holidays, and weekends. Previously, only four shows were permitted under the Tamil Nadu Cinemas (Regulation) Rules, 1957, following a stampede during the release of the film Thunivu in 2023.
The decision follows requests from the Tamil Film Active Producers Association, the Tamil Film Producers Council, and the Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners Association. Films such as Scene, Mookuthi Amman 2, and Ramayana are expected to benefit from the change.
Separately, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has announced that residents may only burst sound-emitting firecrackers during two one-hour windows: 6 AM to 7 AM and 7 PM to 8 PM, according to Urban Acres.
The restriction, which follows Supreme Court directions to limit noise and pollution, requires a four-hour gap between the permitted morning and evening periods. The board has also advised the use of environmentally friendly firecrackers during these times.