The Tamil Nadu government on Friday announced that theatres and cinema halls in the state are allowed to function with 50% occupancy till January 10. Chief Minister MK Stalin has issued the orders in his latest directive in view of the spread of the Omicron variant and the increasing Covid-19 cases in the state. The TN government has issued orders for amusement parks, beauty parlors, malls, theatres, hotels, and showrooms to operate at only 50% capacity. The decision has come at a time when the cases of Omicron variant are on the rise, with the government also banning physical classes for Classes 1 to 8. Below is Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's official statement: 

Tamil Nadu government's latest announcement has come at a time when film aficionados and movie buffs are looking forward to watch Pongal and Sankranthi releases in theatres in early and mid-January. Although the state's directive has mentioned that the latest Covid-19 restrictions are in effect till January 10, it remains to be seen whether there will be an extension considering Tamil actor Ajith Kumar's Valimai has been announced for a worldwide theatrical release on January 13, 2022. The state's latest decision is no doubt a big step to curtail the ongoing spread of the Omicron variant and all hopes rely on the situation to get back to normalcy. 

The restrictions in theatre occupancy in Tamil Nadu have come when several big releases in other languages are also gearing up for a massive opening across the country. 2022 is starting off with Baahubali director SS Rajamouli's period action drama RRR starring Ram Charan and Jr. NTR, which is scheduled for a global release on January 7. Likewise, Prabhas' Radhe Shyam, which is hitting screens as a pan-Indian film on January 14 as a Sankranthi release, is also carrying tremendous buzz. In Tamil, apart from Ajith Kumar's Valimai announced to open in theatres on January 13, there is also Vishal's Veeramae Vaagai Soodum announced to come out on January 26, followed by Suriya's Etharkkum Thunindhavan releasing on February 4. All the above films' release in Tamil Nadu will now depend on how the Covid-19 situation in the state is tackled.