ANI | Updated:Aug 04, 2026 19:35IST
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Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 4 (ANI): PVR INOX, India’s largest cinema exhibition company, on Tuesday unveiled PVR INOX SMART Cinemas, a new format designed to bring an affordable yet premium cinematic experience to audiences in India’s Tier III cities.
Designed specifically for India’s Tier III cities, the initiative combines the signature PVR INOX cinema experience with an innovative and capital-efficient expansion model aimed at making world-class cinema more accessible across emerging urban centres in the country.
According to the press note, the new concept will be rolled out primarily through a capital-efficient FOCO (Franchise-Owned, Company-Operated) model, enabling PVR INOX to partner with developers and entrepreneurs across India to accelerate the rollout of world-class cinema destinations.
The journey begins in Muzaffarpur, marking the first destination for the PVR INOX SMART Cinemas in India.
Ajay Bijli, the Managing Director of PVR INOX, explained the vision behind Smart Cinemas, calling it a move to provide an affordable cinema experience in cities with a population of 1.5 to 5 lakh.
While talking to ANI, Ajay Bijli said, “We have roughly 1800 screens. But in small cities, where there is a population of 1.5 lakhs to 5 lakhs, our PVR cinema experience is still there. We have a lot of cinemas, but there was no affordable cinema that we wanted to provide. So we thought that the right time has come to provide it. So we are starting Smart Cinema from Muzaffarpur, which is in Bihar, from next week. We have identified 300 cities where Smart Cinema can come.”
He continued, “And this year, we are doing it in Barakpur, West Bengal, Rampur, actually in Ghaziabad. And there are 5-6 cities where we are opening this year. We have identified the remaining 300 cities.”
According to the press note, PVR INOX has already signed six additional PVR INOX SMART Cinemas properties for delivery over the next nine months, while discussions with developers across several other growth markets are actively underway.
Every PVR INOX SMART Cinemas property will deliver the signature PVR INOX experience through 2K laser projection, immersive 7.1 surround sound, thoughtfully curated food and beverage offerings, pristine auditoriums and a safe, welcoming environment, reimagined in a contemporary, value-led format for audiences in high-growth markets across India.
Ajay Bijli said, “The customer will still feel that it is a PVR experience. We are trying to make it cost-effectively. A normal PVR cinema costs 3-3.5 crores per screen. We will incur an expenditure of up to 1.9 crores. We are taking less area. We normally use around 42 square feet per seat for making big foyers, toilets, and big auditoriums. In this, we are taking 30 square feet per seat. There is no kitchen in this. The number of people is 6 per screen. But the customer will not see any compromise in this.”
He continued, “We are installing a 2K projector system, laser, 7.1 Dolby Digital system and all the new cinemas will be seen, but it will be affordable because it is a small town. Manpower and electricity expenses are less there. We have also rented with developers. It is on revenue share only. And the developers are also doing a lot of expenditure. So our expenses are also less. The ticket price will be around 35% lower than a normal cinema.”
Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, Executive Director, PVR INOX Limited, added, “India’s passion for cinema continues to grow, creating significant opportunities across the country’s high-growth cities. PVR INOX SMART Cinemas combines a highly scalable, capital-efficient expansion model with the signature PVR INOX experience. It enables us to grow alongside our partners while bringing world-class cinema to more communities across India,” as quoted in a press note.
With the launch of PVR INOX SMART Cinemas, the company expects to create direct employment opportunities, generate state and local tax revenues, strengthen organised entertainment infrastructure, and contribute to the continued growth of retail ecosystems across the markets it serves. (ANI)
