The Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts, Ibrahim Waheed, has announced that a large 4-screen cinema is set to be built in Hulhumalé. The Minister stated that foreign investors have expressed interest in developing this cinema. During a forum discussing the development of a quality cinema in the Maldives, the Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts, Ibrahim Waheed, was questioned. Responding to this question, the Minister highlighted that there is currently no good cinema in the Maldives and that this is a concern for many parties. He noted that the existing Olympus is developed as a theater, and there are still difficulties in screening films there.
To address this issue, the Minister emphasized that shutting down Olympus and building a new place is not the best solution. He pointed out that a modern cinema should offer many services. “A cinema is a major entertainment venue. People can enter to watch various films. There will be about 4 to 6 screens. There will be games. There will be a shopping complex. This should be the vision. We shouldn’t limit our ideas to just building an Olympus. We need to build a high-quality cinema,” said Minister Ibrahim Waheed.
The Minister of Arts revealed that discussions have been held with foreign investors to find a solution to this issue. He stated that a suitable investor has now been found and that the cinema will be built in Hulhumalé. The Minister assured that they will work with HDC to construct the cinema in Hulhumalé. He added that with the new cinema, a solution will be found for local producers who are struggling to screen their films. “We will solve the problem of not being able to screen films due to lack of screens. We will establish a cinema with at least 4 screens in Hulhumalé. Then 4 films can be screened in one night. I know this is a major concern for many producers. People who go to watch films also face great difficulties. The solution is not Olympus. We need to find a solution with a different perspective,” the Minister said.
While the government has decided to develop a good quality cinema in the Maldives, the current Olympus cinema only shows one film at a time. After being closed due to COVID-19, it underwent modern renovations and reopened in 2023. Olympus is the cinema in the Maldives that can accommodate the most people at once. Olympus was developed and began hosting entertainment activities and screening films starting from 1957.
