India, Sept. 30 -- Maharashtra's once-thriving single-screen cinema culture is now facing an existential crisis. The number of operational single-screen theatres has fallen from over 1,200 just a few decades ago to only about 250 to 300 today. The decline has been particularly prominent in the last one to two years with nearly 800 to 900 theatres shutting down due to financial losses, competition from multiplexes and OTT platforms, and operational costs. These theatres have been burdened by a complex web of expenses such as entertainment tax, electricity and water charges, and compliance with stringent regulations. In addition, lack of provisions for licence transfer has discouraged the younger generation from continuing this family-run b...