Tamil Nadu restores 6am film screenings under new cinema rules
The TVK government has amended cinema regulations to allow up to six daily shows during a film's first week.
The Tamil Nadu government has allowed theatres to begin film screenings as early as 6am, according to reports from Onmanorama and Urban Acres. The decision follows requests from the Tamil Film Producers Council, the Tamil Film Active Producers Association, and the Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners Association.
The state has amended the Tamil Nadu Cinemas (Regulation) Rules, 1957, to permit up to six shows per day during a film's first seven days. This schedule applies to new releases, local festivals, public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with screenings allowed from 6am until 2.30am the following day.
The move reverses restrictions introduced in January 2023 after a death occurred during celebrations for the release of the film Thunivu. Previously, the government required producers to obtain separate orders for additional shows, and the permitted limit was recently increased from four to five shows for new Tamil films.
The Tamil Film Producers Association stated that the previous restrictions meant audiences in other states and overseas often saw films before viewers in Tamil Nadu. The association thanked Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for allowing films to be screened universally at the same time.
Production houses, including Zhagaram Studios and Vels Film International, expressed gratitude to the chief minister for the decision. The amendment places the responsibility for managing crowd movement, security, and late-night exits on theatres and cinema authorities.