Rise in Drive-in theatres in the U.S. amid coronavirus. Should India adopt this trend to rejuvenate the Indian film industry?
Drive-in theatres existed as early as the 1910s in the US but the first patented drive-in theatre opened in 1933 by Richard Hollingshed in New Jersey. They gained immense popularity 20 years later in the 50s and 60s with the baby boomer generation. By the 1970s, due to the oil crisis people downsized their cars as they couldn’t afford the inflated gas prices. This made the drive-in experience uncomfortable in their small cars and after the development of VCR people preferred to watch movies in the comfort of their homes instead. Drive-in theatres lost their appeal soon after but continue to exist to this day as a nostalgic and cultural icon.
In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conventional movie theatres have shut down and there is a huge rise in demand for the drive-in theatres in the US. With the lockdown beginning to ease there is a whole new corps of customers from the pandemic generation. People are ready to finally get out of their homes and have something fun to do while also social distancing.
As for India, the thought of drive-in theatres still seem a little far fetched due to several obstacles but people are still not opposed to the idea as it could be an interesting, safe and nostalgic form of entertainment especially amidst this pandemic and social distancing. Cinema halls have been shut for more than 3 months and the avid moviegoers will be more than willing to get a whole new experience out of this. As for the constraint of new releases, I don’t think people will care as much about what they’re coming to see as long as they enjoy the experience with their friends and family. This could open a whole new sector in the Indian Cinematic Industry and will be a unique experience for the Millenials and the Gen-Z audience.
All that said, people, if willing to invest in such a niche industry will have to take into considerations all the risks that could come along with it. The extreme climate in India is one of the biggest challenges and also, as stated by Mohan Umrotkar, CEO, Carnival Cinema, “The real estate costs, especially, don’t make drive-ins a commercially viable exhibition business proposal.”
Finally, if we do decide to explore this side of the movie industry taking into consideration the risks associated, I think it could be a remarkable experience for the older and newer generations combined, bringing back “quirky throwbacks to a bygone era” and introducing the newer generations to an eccentric escapade.