MUMBAI: Theatre goers can now decide if they would like to skip the smattering of ads that confront them when they enter a cinema hall before the movie starts. A Bengaluru consumer court has ordered PVR Inox to mention the time when a film will finally roll on the screen on tickets that are issued to consumers at the time of booking. Whether this will extend to all cinema halls and whether PVR Inox will appeal against this ruling only time will tell.
Be that as it may, PVR Inox also got a financial rap on the knuckles from the same court as a reminder that moviegoers pay for films, not a barrage of ads. A Bengaluru consumer court has ordered the multiplex giant to cough up Rs 1 lakh in punitive damages after a customer’s screening was delayed by 25 minutes due to excessive advertising.
The case stemmed from a December 2023 screening of Sam Bahadur at 4:05 pm, which, to the frustration of ticket holders, actually started at 4:30 pm. The plaintiff, a Bengaluru resident, sued the cinema chain for misleading audiences and wasting their time. The court agreed, branding the delay an ‘unfair trade practice’ and instructing PVR Inox to display accurate movie start times on tickets instead of ad-heavy schedules.
In addition to the Rs 1 lakh fine, the complainant was awarded Rs 20,000 for mental agony and Rs 8,000 in legal expenses. The ruling signals a strong pushback against multiplexes prioritising ad revenue over audience experience.
PVR Inox attempted to justify the prolonged advertising, arguing that ads help latecomers settle in and that government-mandated public service announcements (PSAs) are a legal requirement. The court, however, dismissed this defence, ruling that PSAs should not exceed 10 minutes and that subjecting audiences to 25-30 minutes of commercials was unjust.
Adding an interesting twist, the multiplex argued that the complainant’s act of recording the delay violated piracy laws. The court dismissed the claim, ruling that the footage served a legitimate purpose in exposing an issue that plagues moviegoers nationwide.
With this ruling, multiplexes may have to rethink their ad-heavy screenings. For audiences, the decision reinforces the expectation that they are paying for movies, not marketing. Whether PVR Inox and other cinema chains will amend their practices remains to be seen, but for now, Bengaluru’s consumer court has delivered a long-awaited blockbuster verdict.
(Cited from Indian Express)
