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Tag: Thank God

  • Must-watch fantasy series and movies you can’t miss

    Must-watch fantasy series and movies you can’t miss

    Mumbai: If you love fantasy and the supernatural, this list is for you. Dive into magical worlds filled with epic adventures, mythical creatures, and captivating stories that will transport you to realms of imagination and wonder. Each entry promises a unique journey full of excitement and intrigue, offering a perfect escape from the everyday.

    Prepare to be enchanted by tales where the extraordinary comes to life. Here’s the list:

    Deadpool & Wolverine: The upcoming movie featuring promises to be a high-octane blend of humour, action, and oh-so-intense storytelling. Set to bring together two of Marvel’s most iconic anti-heroes, the film will see Ryan Reynolds reprising his role as the irreverent Deadpool, while Hugh Jackman returns as the formidable Wolverine. Fans can expect an exhilarating ride as these two characters, known for their sharp wit and fierce combat skills, team up for a thrilling adventure.

    Number Zero (Pocket FM): Vipin is known for his interplanetary travels, but his latest journey brings him to Earth, a planet he has never explored before. Determined to keep his visit a secret, he quickly learns that hiding such a venture is no easy feat. As Vipin lands on Earth, he faces a series of unexpected challenges. Will he adapt to life on this human-dominated planet? His survival depends on blending in and navigating the complexities of human society. Tune in to Number Zero on Pocket FM to uncover the thrilling adventures that await Vipin on Earth.

    Shoorveer (Pocket FM): A hundred years into the future, humanity has unlocked the power of teleportation, revolutionizing life as we know it. However, teleportation doesn’t transport people through time but to an entirely different planet filled with strange creatures and unknown dangers. Stranded in this new world, humans must find a way to survive and coexist with the bizarre inhabitants. With each teleportation, new challenges and mysteries unfold, testing the limits of human resilience. Discover how they navigate this alien terrain and fight for their survival by listening to Shoorveer on Pocket FM.

    The Boys (Amazon Prime): “The Boys” dives into a dark and gritty world where superheroes, known as Supes, are corrupt and abusive, far from their public personas. Led by Billy Butcher, portrayed by Karl Urban, a vigilante group known as The Boys takes on these powerful beings to expose their true nature and hold them accountable. Hughie Campbell, played by Jack Quaid, joins the team after a personal tragedy caused by a careless Supe. Opposing them is Homelander, the leader of the Seven, played by Antony Starr, whose public heroism masks a sinister and manipulative nature. The show explores themes of power, corruption, and the consequences of unchecked heroism.

    House of the Dragon (Jio Cinema): Set 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” “House of the Dragon” delves into the turbulent history of House Targaryen, chronicling their rise and fall. The series centres on the Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons, where rival factions vie for the Iron Throne. Paddy Considine stars as King Viserys I Targaryen, whose succession sparks conflict, while Emma D’Arcy plays his daughter Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, a key contender for the throne. Matt Smith portrays Prince Daemon Targaryen, Rhaenyra’s ambitious and unpredictable uncle. What secrets and betrayals will emerge as the Targaryens fight to maintain their legacy? Unravel the dramatic saga of fire and blood by tuning in to “House of the Dragon” on JioCinema.

    Thank God (Amazon Prime): It is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language fantasy comedy-drama directed by Indra Kumar, featuring Sidharth Malhotra, Ajay Devgn, and Rakul Preet Singh. The film follows Ayaan Kapoor, a selfish real estate businessman who, after a severe road accident, finds himself in Heaven. There, he is given a chance to return to Earth by playing the “Game of Life” while his body is in an operation theatre. The movie combines humour and fantasy as Ayaan’s journey prompts him to reflect on his life choices, making for a thought-provoking and entertaining watch.

    Damsel (Netflix): Damsel, starring Millie Bobby Brown, is an exciting Netflix fantasy adventure movie where a young woman, expecting to marry a charming prince, discovers she’s been deceived and thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon. Stripped of any help, she must rely on her wits and will to survive, battling the dragon and uncovering her inner strength in this gripping tale of betrayal and empowerment. With stunning visuals and intense action, Damsel is a must-watch for fans of thrilling and empowering stories.

    Madame Web (Netflix): Starring Dakota Johnson, this is an intriguing Marvel film that follows the story of a clairvoyant mutant with powerful psychic abilities. As she navigates her mysterious and complex life, she uncovers a sinister plot that threatens the entire Spider-Verse, forcing her to use her unique powers to protect both herself and the web of heroes connected to her. With a blend of supernatural intrigue and intense action, Madame Web promises to captivate audiences with its compelling storyline and dynamic performances.

  • Inox reports 2Q loss of Rs 22 crore

    Inox reports 2Q loss of Rs 22 crore

    Mumbai: Hit by the poor performance of Bollywood, multiplex operator Inox Leisure has reported a second quarter 2023 fiscal loss of Rs 22 crore compared with a profit after tax of Rs 51 crore in the same period of the 2020 fiscal. When compared to the same period in the 2020 fiscal, Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) fell by 97 percent to three crore rupees.

    Revenue dropped by 27 per cent to Rs 381 crore. While the spending per head went up by 29 per cent, the number of footfalls went down by 39 per cent. Occupancy was down by 13 per cent. The average ticket price rose by 10 per cent. Inox said that the 2021 and 2022 fiscals were hit by the pandemic, and therefore it has taken the 2020 fiscal as a comparison.

    Inox had a net profit of Rs 57.09 crore in the first quarter of the 2023 fiscal. Revenue from operations was Rs 582.26 crore in the first quarter of the 2023 fiscal.

    For the first half of the 2023 fiscal, profit after tax declined by 43 per cent to Rs 53 crore compared to the same period in the 2020 fiscal. Ebitda fell by 33 per cent to Rs 134 crore. Revenue fell marginally by five per cent to Rs 970 crore.

    The company said that it expects a great turnaround in the business going forward thanks to a content lineup in the upcoming quarters with releases like Ram Setu, Thank God, Drishyam 2, Bhedia, Phone Bhoot, Cirkus, Black Adam, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Avatar: The Way of Water, complimented with consumer-centric innovations. The company added 30 screens in the first half of the fiscal, which it said was the highest screen addition in the industry. The company added two new properties with 13 screens in the second quarter; a 10-screen Inox Megaplex at Emerald Mall, Lucknow and a three-screen multiplex in Srinagar. Inox revived cinema in Kashmir after a gap of 32 years with the launch of the first multiplex in Srinagar. The three-screen cinema brings the contemporary giant-screen movie watching experience back to the region.

    Furthermore, the company plans to add 11 properties and 47 screens in FY23.

    The company reported its best ever quarterly SPH, which was largely driven by the rigorous efforts around F&B. Critical additions to the menu, introduction of seasonal specialties, timely and result-oriented marketing initiatives, interactive culinary sessions and workshops and numerous process innovations have led to a solid recovery on the F&B revenues.

    Inox Leisure director Siddharth Jain said, “Pandemic has taught us to remain battle-fit and come up with answers to difficult situations. The second quarter of FY23 was impacted by the inconsistency in the content value chain, proving the importance of great quality content yet again. We are delighted with our promising performance on the F&B front, with our highest ever quarterly spend per head. Our foray into Kashmir with the region’s first multiplex marked the revival of cinemas in the valley, and we are quite upbeat about this historic launch, which underlines our desire to entertain India across its length and breadth. The spectacular content pipeline, the festive fervour and our consistent rigour will certainly mark a celebratory third quarter for us.”

  • Dark clouds start to clear from theatres: Inox Leisure to witness double-digit growth

    Dark clouds start to clear from theatres: Inox Leisure to witness double-digit growth

    Mumbai: It’s good! The cloud seems to be clearing up for the multiplex operator Inox as it expects to grow by double digits for Q3 FY’22. The fear of covid strained the growth of all multiplexes in the country in the last two years, and Inox was no different. As theatres have opened up, the multiplexes are leaving their gloomy days behind and maintaining a very positive outlook for the future.

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Inox Leisure COO Anand Vishal said, “The box office growth for Q3 FY’22 as compared to Q3 FY’19 will happen on two accounts. Inox screens are up by 20 per cent compared with the same period in 2019. We are now at 705 screens compared to 585 screens in 2019. The plan is to add three more screens during the festive season in Delhi, Mysore and Andhra Pradesh. Ticket prices have improved by 10 per cent. It is another matrix. And with the lineup that is there, we will see strong double-digit growth in this quarter (Q3 FY’22).”

    He emphasised that the overall multiplex industry will also witness good growth. Inox had posted its best-ever performance in Q1 FY’22 due to the theatrical blockbusters from the South and growth in strong audience footfalls. It has reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 57.09 crore for Q1 FY’22, led by rising footfalls at cinema halls.

    He also noted that comparing the Q3 FY’22 quarter with Q3 FY’21 would not be a fair comparison. That is because there were capacity restrictions. In Maharashtra, for example, theatres were operating with 50 per cent capacity restrictions via alternate seating arrangements. Now there are no capacity restrictions. 

    Inox Leisure’s ad revenue growth

    The multiplexes’ advertising revenue is yet to pick up momentum as compared to 2020. He said, enumerating his views on ad revenue growth, “Advertising revenue will be nearly the same as what it was pre-pandemic. The premium categories advertise with us as they want to talk to the relevant audience.” 

    He also stated that revenue from food and beverages has increased by 30 per cent. The expectation is that per-person spending will improve by over 30 per cent in Q3 FY’22 as compared to Q3 FY’19. “These are the broader matrix for revenue mapping,” he explained.

    Earlier, Inox Leisure’s CEO Alok Tandon said that the growth in ad revenue is expected to bounce back from the Q3 FY’22 and Q4 FY’22 due to the festive season.

    Inox’s ad revenue growth has shown a declining trend recently. In Q1 FY’22, it fell to Rs 30 crore as against Rs 47 crore in Q1 FY’20. 

    The market scenario during the festive season

    In terms of markets, Vishal expects the South to take the lead in terms of ticket revenue growth during the festive season. Viewing trends in the South are higher than in the Hindi-speaking market. “But having said that, in the pre-pandemic period, consumption was also higher in the South. We expect the Hindi market to improve. The South will also improve,” he said.

    He is confident about the Hindi movie market, though some films underperformed and disappointed in Q2 FY’22. “We do not control the software. But having said that, the line-up for Hindi films is looking very good. Look at Ram Setu and Thank God, which is a Diwali release. Tamil and Telugu content over Diwali is looking very good.” 

    Other movies he pointed to which could do well include Merry Christmas and Cirkus. On the Hollywood front, he said that Avatar: The Way Of Water was big. Also, there is Black Adam and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

    On the promotions front, he said that the aim is to boost the inclusive movie-watching experience as Diwali is a family-gathering season and demands splurges during this time. “We will make an inclusive plan for our consumers where we give them offers and benefits to come to Inox. You can expect a Diwali bonanza for families and people who have indulged in movies.”

    Talking about the success of National Cinema Day, he said that it was done to thank loyal patrons. The pandemic disrupted business and no regular operations happened. There were three waves of covid. Lower ticket pricing was the cinema industry’s way of saying thank you to customers. “The success of National Cinema Day showed that the cinema viewing habits of the consumer are still there.” This day, he said, brought in new customers to Inox as ticket prices were drastically lowered. “A lot of people came to Inox for the first time,” Vishal mentioned. 

    Dynamic ticket pricing

    Further, he added that ticket pricing is also based on the movie, not just the timing or the day. He noted that when Brahmastra was released, the ticket prices were higher compared with other movies. “It is a product that we pay for. Let me give you an example. If Avatar: Way Of Water is playing and another movie is also playing, then the two movies will be priced very differently. If Thank God is playing and another movie is playing, then the pricing will be very different. These three movies cannot be compared to other movies.” He also added that it is important to get the weekday pricing right as the aim is to get all segments of society to watch movies at Inox. This is how dynamic pricing works. Weekday prices for Brahmastra started at Rs 100 in some places.

    He also pointed out that the premium ticket pricing for Brahmastra was a maximum of 10 per cent compared to other movies. Seeing the demand, the consumer’s elasticity is important. The price elasticity ranges from Rs 100-500 depending on the day of the week and the audience segment being targeted. Of course, Insignia screens are expensive because one Insignia seat takes up three seats on a regular screen. “The Insignia experience and service are very different, and it comes at a cost. If a regular seat costs Rs 150, then an Insignia seat will be Rs 350.” Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and, to an extent, Karnataka are price-capped markets. Other markets are more price dynamic. In Delhi, there are price cards and pricing slots that are approved by the authorities.” Mumbai will have pricing from Rs 100-500 depending on the location. What you charge in Nariman Point cannot be charged in Dahisar. Pricing is also a function of the location, not just the film. You also have to see the pricing of the competition theatres.” 

    Content offerings beyond movies

    He said that beyond films, Inox also targets different consumer sets. For this, it focuses on sports, music, concerts, school contact programmes and e-sports activation. The plan is to do deals to show matches from the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup and the Fifa World Cup. The good news is that this does not cannibalise the attendance of the movie-going public. The consumer of a sporting event is different from the one who consumes film content. The idea is to create a market, not cannibalise it. Why not give people the opportunity to watch sporting events on a big screen? Sports are a very integral part of our marketing plan. Music is also important. Inox is doing a screening of Coldplay on 29 October. “For e-sports, the core target age is 18–25. Inox has a partnership with the E-sports Federation of India (ESFI). These games are healthy games that have been approved and are up to international standards. Matches are screened. The aim is to also find talent to represent India on international platforms.”

    In terms of in-cinema advertising, he said that premium brands use Inox and that avoids wastage. Cinema, he said, is the answer.

    These brands are not focusing on mass reach. It is about relevant reach. Otherwise, it becomes a waste of money. Inox provides relevance for brands like Manyavar, he explains.

    “More than eyeballs, it is the quality of the footfalls we provide that counts. A mobile phone advertiser with a Rs 20k product wants to target the person who has that spending propensity. The advertiser is only targeting a certain audience segment and so it cannot go to the television all the time.” These brands use cinemas, but they will only use premium cinemas like Nariman Point and Atria. They know the target group visits these locations. The likes of Audi and BMW only pick up Insignias and premium cinemas. “The aim is to talk to the direct and relevant consumer,” he added. 

    Licensing & merchandising

    The licensing and merchandising activities started in June 2022. This, he said, is building and is about targeting a community. “Fans who are loyal to franchises like Avengers, Marvel, sports fans, and people who love Inox as a brand can buy something. We wanted to get into this space. We knew it would take time, but traction is building. We hope to do Rs 4-5 crore in sales in the next 12-15 months.” It has a partnership with Macmerise, which supplies the merchandise. They have some Hollywood rights and also some sports rights like IPL. They also develop Inox-branded products like t-shirts, cups, mugs, headphones, and watches.

    Spending on food & beverage

    Talking about the food and beverage strategy, he explains, “These spends have shown a drastic improvement for us and the industry. People are indulging in eating more food items. That is a very healthy sign. It is about what the consumer wants. Inox does have offerings beyond popcorn and Coca-Cola. It is not a blanket offer. The offering in the South is different from Gujarat and in the North. We focus on what people in a region like to eat. For instance, people in the South like to eat puffs. Samosa is very strong in the West as a market.”