There was a time when cinemas would screen just four shows a day, usually beginning around 11:30 am or 12 noon. But with the advent of multiplexes, the system changed. Exhibitors began experimenting with 9:00 am and 10:00 am shows, and the strategy worked. For high-profile releases, cinemas even started organizing shows earlier than that, at 8:00 am, 7:00 am and, in some cases, even at 5:00 am or 6:00 am. However, Tamil Nadu stands out as the only state where early-morning shows are tightly regulated. Here, the first regular show generally begins around 10:30 am or 11:00 am. For big-ticket releases, producers and distributors seek special permission from the state government, after which theatres are usually allowed to start shows from 9:00 am.However, shows at 4:00 am or even earlier have not been permitted in Tamil Nadu in recent times. The last major instance took place during the Pongal 2023 clash between Ajith Kumar’s Thunivu and Vijay’s Varisu. While Thunivu had shows beginning as early as 1:00 am in Tamil Nadu, Varisu was allowed to be screened from 4:00 am. The celebrations, however, took a tragic turn when an Ajith fan died while celebrating the release of Thunivu. This episode further prompted the state government to clamp down on early morning shows.Since then, the first show for a biggie starts at 9:00 am. Meanwhile, in other states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and even in centres like Mumbai, viewers get to catch highly-awaited superstar-driven films at 6:00 am