Apart from the ticket rates, the producers’ council has suggested that the popcorn being sold in the theatres, especially the multiplexes must reduce rates.
A family expenditure must come down when they come to the theatres and must not feel overburdened. But the people running the multiplexes have a different kind of theory.
But it is all well accounted for, says PVR Boss Ajay Bijli. He says India is transitioning from single screens to multiplexes, and people are slowly and steadily getting used to the idea of popcorn being a sizeable cost they have to pay for watching a film on the big screen.
It’s all about the experience, he says. As for the company, it is simple logistics, says Bijli. They have to have multiple screens, say 6, to say the least, and then the foyer has to be air-conditioned.
Of course, there are the costs of maintenance and rents paid to the malls for space. But the people running the show at multiplexes must understand that cine-goers are not coming to the theatres and if they continue at high rates, they will not be able to make any money in the future.
If the ticket rates come down, they have to reduce the rates of snacks also, especially popcorn. Corn costs not more than rupees ten and they sell at Rs five hundred.
