The big picture

Can movie theatres afford to limit their ad screening time?

- CHRISTINA MONIZ

THE BENGALURU URBAN District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission's recent decision to penalise PVR-INOX for screening a movie 25 minutes after its scheduled time has opened up a can of worms. The complainant alleged that he was made to sit through 25 minutes of advertising, and the Commission directed the cinema chain to compensate him with ₹1.28 lakh for the inconvenience caused.

The Karnataka High Court offered the multiplex player some relief by issuing an interim stay on the ruling, but there are concerns that this case could impact cinema advertising. While the Multiplex Association of India argues that screening of trailers and advertisements is a longstanding practice, the Bengaluru forum suggests that the tickets must specify when the movie screening will actually begin.

Industry experts reckon that if the complainant gets his way, the very purpose of cinema advertising would be defeated and it could impact a well-established business model for multiplexes. So, how can cinemas and brands maximise the silver screen's potential without irking their audiences?