Doubling cinema screens could boost jobs and tax revenue in India
A new MAI-EY report says that if India doubles its cinema screens to 20,000 over the next five years, it could create 1.25 lakh jobs and add ₹950 crore in tax revenue.
Even though screen numbers barely grew since 2019, more people than ever—157 million—went to the movies last year, up 29% from the previous year and 8% above pre-pandemic levels.
The big gaps: fewer screens, shrinking revenues
Despite packed theaters, overall film revenue actually dropped by 2% since 2019.
India now has just 6.8 screens per million people (way behind countries like the US or China), and movies don't stay in theaters as long as they used to—just four to eight weeks now.
What could help?
The report suggests things like tax breaks for new cinemas in underserved areas, letting theaters set their own ticket prices, and running shows round-the-clock.
These moves aim to make moviegoing more accessible for everyone.