The ongoing stand off between Bollywood's producer-distributors and multiplex owners has put single screens back in spotlight with producers mulling over the option of releasing their films solely through these poorer cousins of multiplexes.

Actor-producer Aamir Khan who along with Shahrukh Khan came on board in a show of support to producers and distributors, reiterated the stand that they will go back to single screens, if multiplex owners don't give them an equal share in ticket revenue.

"In the past films have become blockbusters running in single screens and if the situation does not improve we will work towards a system where we will release films solely through single screens," Aamir had said during a recent press conference.

Meanwhile, small producers have decided to make hay while the sun shines by releasing their films through single screens during the embargo and hope to make profits by attracting ardent cinegoers who have been left with not much choice.

Producer Ashok Bagla says, "My film 'Meri Padosan' will be released across the country on 17th April with 115 prints, only through single screens. The film stars comedy champion Khayali, who has a mass fan base and rising star Sarwar Ahuja. With no new releases I am hoping that people will watch the film for their regular dose of entertainment."

The multiplexes which debuted in Delhi with the establishment of PVR Saket in 1977, changed the concept of film viewing with better technology and cushy surroundings, gradually pushing the once popular single screens out of business.

"I go to multiplexes to watch films which have not reached my neighbouring single screen, but with no new release being offered, why will I pay triple the amount to watch a rerun I can catch at half the price at Regal or Filmistan," asks Anand Sinha, a graphic designer.

Meanwhile the single screen owners are bracing themselves for some good times as they hope to get out of the slump caused by the onslaught of the the glitzy multiplexes.

"Single screen theatres have some good news after a real long time. We have some small but good releases and hopefully the audience that otherwise goes to multiplexes will be drawn to single screen theaters," says R K Sharma, manager of Filmistan one of the oldest standing single screen theatres in Delhi.

Similar sentiment was echoed by S H Khan manager of Shakuntalam theatre, in the capital who feels that the strike will help in attracting younger audiences to single screen theatres.

"There are people who have been visiting the theatre since the early 80's, like there is a customer who has been regular for the past 20 or more years and asks for a particular seat every time. But with the strike we hope to have more of the college-going crowd who usually prefer watching films in multiplexes," says Khan.

But the question is whether the cinema audiences in metropolitans, specially the younger lot who have been weaned on the multiplex format will be ready to accept the less glamorous option of a single screen.

"I really like the idea of the special box seats found in some of the old theatres, it reminds you of opera houses.

And moreover the single screen theatres are a lot cheaper than multiplexes, I actually like the idea of watching a film in a old single screen theatre," says Pipallika Roy, a MBA student.

Similar sentiment was echoed by Rita Manchandani, a call centre employee who said, "Due to the recession, organisations are cost-cutting and young people who did not think twice before splurging on a ticket, now don't want to spend 200 bucks on a film, because you never know when you might get laid off."

Audiences queued up in front of single-screen theatres in hordes before the multiplex boom took over the cinema business. The first multiplex to open in the capital was PVR Anupam in 1997 in Saket and it became a trend-setter.

Multiplexes started mushrooming with many old theatres giving way to new swanky properties and a corporate cinema culture.

As of 2008, there were 56 cinema halls in Delhi of which 17 are multiplexes. The total number of screens stands at 99.