PVR INOX plans at least 1,000 screens across smaller towns
PVR INOX, India's biggest multiplex chain, is set to add at least 1,000 new screens over the next five years, mostly in smaller towns and cities where single-screen theaters are disappearing.
They're using flexible models like franchise-owned and company-operated setups to make this happen.
Ajay Bijli, the company's managing director, says this move is all about making movies more accessible for everyone.
PVR INOX investing ₹300-350 cr
Turns out, most of India still doesn't have a cinema nearby, 16,350 of India's 19,000 PIN codes are missing out.
PVR INOX wants to change that by focusing on around 300 smaller cities such as Jabalpur and Rampur, keeping ticket prices close to what single-screen theaters charge.
This financial year they're investing ₹300-350 crore for new screens and renovations, including turning a prominent single-screen cinema in Kochi, Mymoon, into a modern multiplex in partnership with Lulu Group.
Bijli believes India could eventually support around 25,000 cinema screens over time if taxes and costs come down.