Drums, cake and milk as Indian cinemas dance back to life

Indian film fans banged drums, danced and ate cake outside Mumbai cinemas on Friday to celebrate Bollywood's first big-budget release since the pandemic began.

Cinemas shuttered in March 2020 under a strict lockdown when Covid-19 first hit the country, and then enjoyed a brief reprieve before closing after a massive virus surge in April. 

India's media and entertainment earnings slumped by a quarter to $18.7 billion last year, according to accounting firm EY. Dozens of small cinemas went bust and multiplex chains suffered major losses.

The industry is hoping for a rebound with theatres back in business across the country, most recently in Mumbai, capital of Bollywood, the world's most prolific film industry.

First out of the blocks on Friday, just in time for the Diwali festival weekend -- traditionally a time for blockbuster releases -- was "Sooryavanshi", the first marquee Bollywood film to be released on the big screen in 18 months.

Fans danced and chanted the name of the action caper's star Akshay Kumar -- battling a terrorist sleeper cell in Mumbai -- with one even baking a chocolate cake embossed with the name of the movie.

"We have been waiting for almost one and half years for a big Bollywood movie to be released," said Sikander, one fan eager to watch the film.

"You can see the crowds chock-a-block here. I don’t remember the last time I have seen such a huge crowd of moviegoers," he told..

"This film is very crucial for the film industry," Rajender Singh Jyala, chief programming officer for the country's second-largest cinema chain INOX