PVR bullish on tier II, III cities; plans multiplexes

Film exhibition and cinema giant PVR on Monday said it is keen on tier II and tier III cities for expansion, even as it has a sizable presence in India’s big cities.

Talking to Deccan Herald, PVR Chief Executive Officer Gautam Dutta said, “We are always looking at new markets to enter, and there is a substantial market in the tier II and III cities as well. Our strategy is to find the right markets, and build multiplexes there.”

As part of its tier II and III expansion plans, the company is bullish on penetration into Noida, Jaipur, Mysuru, Tirupur, Durgapur, Bareilly, Jamshedpur, Khanna, Dhanbad, Ranchi, Pathankot, Ambala, Amritsar, and Kota, among others. 

The company on Monday opened its newest cinema in Bengaluru. With a blend of luxury and technology, the new nine-screen PVR multiplex at VR Bengaluru, Whitefield, boasts of an IMAX-equipped audi, four Gold Class screens and premium mainstream cinemas on the same platform.

Spread across 61,140 sq feet, the multiplex aims to cater to 1,393 patrons, and is enabled with state-of-the-art interiors, seating, and lighting, and also offers 3D technology with 7.1 channel surround sound. With this latest addition, PVR claims to be the largest multiplex company in the City, with 57 screen across seven properties.
The company has invested around Rs 27 crore in the new multiplex in Bengaluru, while on an average, it costs Rs 2.5-3 crore to build one screen.

The cinema launch also marked the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, with ‘Stormtroopers’ marching down the cinema floor, much to the glee of movie-goers.

Filmy nation
All over India, at present, PVR has 491 screens at 109 properties, across 44 cities, serving around 66 million patrons. It soon expects to cross the 500-screen mark. Around 55 per cent of PVR’s screens are in tier I cities, which include metros, while the remaining 45 per cent are in tier II and III towns. Around 60-70 new screens get added to the company’s overall screen count, every year, while the total screen additions in the country, including all players, is around 300.

Meanwhile, the company is specially bullish on South India, predominantly Bengaluru, which may see its share of new concepts being introduced here. PVR will bring a spectacular movie experience with a 4D screen at its new 15-screen multiplex coming up in Noida.

Explaining the elements of a 4D experience, PVR Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Bijli said, “There isn’t just sound or projection quality; there is simulation as well, your seats willl move, there is smell, there is water, the whole experience is very immersive.”

The company is closely watching how people react to the new innovations widening the overall cinema experience, and Bijli hinted that when PVR decides to open more 4D screens in the country, Bengaluru may get a screen too.