All cinema halls will remain closed in Delhi till March 31 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced today. Earlier, theatres were directed to remain shut in Kerala and Jammu and Kashmir. The Delhi government has also declared coronavirus as an epidemic. 

“All cinema halls to remain shut in Delhi till March 31. Schools and colleges where exams are not being held will also remain closed,” Kejriwal was quoted as saying. 

The coronavirus pandemic has affected the global movie industry. Earlier today, Hollywood actor couple Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson tested positive for coronavirus. In an instagram post, Hanks wrote, “Hello, folks. Rita and I are down here in Australia. We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too. To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the coronavirus, and were found to be positive.” 

The actors were in Australia for the pre-production of Baz Luhrmann’s untitled film on Elvis Presley. 

Around the world, the release of forthcoming films like No Time To Die and Peter Rabbit 2 have been delayed. In Bollywood, the annual IIFA awards were postponed. It’s also being speculated that Rohit Shetty’s action entertainer Sooryavanshi (March 27) will likely be delayed.