Muzaffarpur, September 04: India’s leading cinema chain, PVR INOX, has inaugurated its first cinema in Muzaffarpur under its ‘SMART’ cinema brand at the Icon Plaza Mall. This launch increases the total screens in Bihar to 11, as the company looks to expand underserved regions with high quality yet affordable entertainment options.
“We have roughly 1,800 screens. But in small cities, where the population is between 1.5 and 5 lakhs, our PVR cinema experience is still there. We have a lot of cinemas, but there wasn’t an affordable cinema that we wanted to provide. So we thought the right time had come to provide it. So we are starting Smart Cinema from Muzaffarpur, in Bihar, next week. We have identified 300 cities where Smart Cinema can come.” Ajay Bijli, MD of PVR Inox told ANI.
“And this year, we are doing it in Barakpur, West Bengal, Rampur, and actually in Ghaziabad. And there are 5-6 cities where we are opening this year. We have identified the remaining 300 cities.” he continued.
The Muzaffarpur property offers a total seating capacity of 644, equipped with advanced cinematic technology, including 2K projection, Dolby 7.1 surround sound, and Next Gen 3D systems. By using efficient operational models and cost effective construction techniques, PVR Inox aims to deliver a modern, high tech cinema experience with a low cost structure to match the demands in that market.
For PVR INOX, the SMART cinema format represents a shift in its strategy, as it aims to capture the growing demand in emerging Tier 3 and Tier 4 cities across the country. The SMART cinema model is aimed at reducing capital expenditure by about 20-30% per screen, allowing it to offer more competitive pricing and affordable food and beverage options for price sensitive customers
PVR INOX aims to expand this model to nearly 300 cities across the country. By focusing on efficient capex management and local pricing strategies, it aims to bridge the gap between metropolitan cinema standards and the entertainment needs of smaller Indian cities, ensuring long term growth in the domestic exhibition industry.
