Watching a film at a multiplex is a whole different experience. The excitement to watch our favorite stars on the big screen, with better audio and visual quality, grabbing a bag of popcorn, and sitting comfortably in an air-conditioned space can’t be matched with watching a movie on OTT channels.
Having said that, going to the theatre with the entire family even once every month hurts a middle-class person’s wallet significantly in India. This is why most of us are compelled to watch movies at home on our TV screens.
This has, however, added to the misery of cinema and multiplex owners who are incurring huge losses. Taking to Twitter, producer and trade business analyst, Girish Johar shared that PVR Inox has reported a loss of Rs 333 Crs approx in Q4FY23, adding to their earlier loss of Rs 107 Crs. Hence, they are planning to close around 50 underperforming cinemas in the next 6 months.
Dreaded #BoxOffice is sparing no one… Reportedly, #PVRInox has reported a loss of ₹333crs aprox in Q4FY23, adding to their earlier loss of ₹107crs, now they plan to close around 50 under performing cinemas in the next 6 months !!! #BOTrends
— Girish Johar (@girishjohar) May 15, 2023
Retweeting his tweet, Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut spoke on behalf of middle-class families in India.
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She said that even though it’s sad that the number of movie theatres might get decreased in the country, we also need to realize that multiplexes have become very expensive.
“We need more theatres in the country. We need more screens, this is not good for the film industry. Having said that, watching films in the multiplexes have become very expensive, going with friends /family means a significant part of a middle class person’s salary. Something needs to be worked out.”
We need more theatres in the country… we need more screens, this is not good for the film industry… having said that watching films in the multiplexes have become very expensive, going with friends /family means a significant part of a middle class person’s salary … something… https://t.co/HQsjen7DTq
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) May 15, 2023
After her tweet, several people came in favour of her saying that eating popcorn, snacks or even having a cup of tea is so expensive in theatres. This is what they opined:
Tickets are even affordable but a middle class cannot afford the snacks being sold in Multiplexes.
Spending 3+ hrs inside the complex where you cannot bring outside food.
Ticket may cost 200 but a box of popcorn would cost 300 and a regular glass of cold drink in 200
Its a…
— Mohit Singh Rathore (@MohitSRathore) May 15, 2023
Another point is F&B revenue sharing. Food costs are approx 60% of a movie watching experience.Yet producers don’t get a share of it. Multiplexes make more money from canteen than tickets.Canteen sales dependent on tickets. So producers should get a share of canteen revenue too
— kunal kohli (@kunalkohli) May 16, 2023
In city like Mumbai,movie tkt rates shuld be ₹50 to ₹150 all inclusive. Besides, snacks, food is very expensive in cinema halls,they want to actually earn a fortune through food sale also!🤔🥺😨👎🏻So best option is watching OTT on big screenTV, also single screeners are welcome.
— VK (@VinayDe86287562) May 15, 2023
Multiplexes charge so much for ticket and food. For a middle class family spending that kind for every released movie is not possible.. hence movie going is only for selected films now..
— NV (@namratavy) May 16, 2023
Pop-Corns to cost 1000, Water to Cost 500, Washrooms will be 100 for use, Breathing air would be 1 rupee per breath with some Combo deals coming soon
— Arpit (@arpit_bhatt) May 15, 2023
Reduce the rate of popcorn and drinks , a frigging soda costs Rs 350 /450 which is available at Rs 50 outside .
— Crazybingo (@DilaikMatters) May 15, 2023
Agree, At the cost of watching 1 movie in theater with family, I can buy 1 year subscription of Netflix and can have access to most of Indian and international movies with lots of other content like web series etc. It’s time for #pvr to work on cost of tickets and food.
— Mayank Sharma (@TheMayanks) May 16, 2023
A handful also said that to bring people to the cinemas, Bollywood needs to make quality content.
I think the point is Bollywood has to produce quality films..people are refusing to watch crap and if bollywood doesn’t learn it’s lesson, more such closures will follow…the audience taste has changed and bollywood has to evolve!
— Ramanathan Iyer 🇮🇳 (@ramanathanks) May 15, 2023
I think there should be a grt plot of d story, in which some social message is also given. There should be good music, so that the audience gets attracted towards the films. Many of the current movies either target Hindus or serve obscenity, addiction or violence. (1/2)
— Krishna Gadkari (@KrishnaGadkari1) May 16, 2023
We need better movies too for the current theatres to be occupied🫠. In Hindi, only Pathaan and TKS now have managed so far this year to get audience in hoards. Rest didn’t generate much interest. People can wait and watch average content on 📺 🖥️🫢.
— PVA (@PinkvillaAunty) May 15, 2023
Except for the big budget films over the first weekend, one can watch movies for @ Rs. 200 per person at good plexes in Delhi on most days. The problem is lack of compelling content.. aisi movies aa rahi hai jo muft mein bhi na dekhne ka Mann kare..
— Piyush Dewan (@MeghdootDiaries) May 15, 2023
OTT platform is good for middle class
— Nadeem Ram Ali 🇮🇳 (@NadeemRamAli) May 15, 2023
It’s not about money, people don’t want rubbish love stories anymore, they want some good stories which they’re getting on OTT, and for theatres you can take example KGF, Pushpa, Kaantara etc, if movie is good people will go to theatre
— Prashant 🪐🌏 (@prashant_mca007) May 15, 2023
Ek samosa 100 rupay ka dete h. Accha h loss me jaa rhe h. Kisi ko nhi chahiye aisi film industry jisme content ko focus pe na rakhte hue copy paste ko rkhaa jaata h.
— ř 🌈 (@SharanyaKR) May 15, 2023
& most important pathetic content which is not worth spending a dime on. Amazing global content is available in the comfort of one’s own home. This is a lesson all movie stars need to learn.
— Misha H Dhorda (@Mishu27) May 15, 2023
Someone also questioned that if movies are making Rs 100 Crs then how come multiplexes are suffering?
Explain one thing when every film is earning in 100s crores, then how come Multiplexes are suffering loses. Either the films earning are inflated or there is something more sinister to it.
— AJ’s🇮🇳 (@ajaysapra) May 15, 2023
Something really needs to be done to balance out the ratio otherwise the future of multiplexes in India might be at risk. What do you think?