The downside of city multiplexes in India

Owing to the fantastic reaction to his earlier article, Kabir has decided to continue his Sunday weekly article.

Who’s Kabir?

Kabir is a young enthusiastic film buff. He is an advertising junkie whose family is not closely related to films. However Kabir knows the single day as well as lifetime collection of all the films. It’s his passion to keep a track on the insider happenings of the industry. From actor fees to the popcorn rates at any city multiplex, Kabir knows it all. Every Sunday we will share Kabir’s point of view on one topic related to the industry. But again today kabir is depressed, his feelings are supressed and his thoughts cannot be compressed

Kabir’s Open Letter to City Multiplexes

Dear Theatres,

I decided to catch a late night flick at a suburban Mumbai multiplex this week but unfortunately by the time I left the screening it was breakfast time(slightly exaggerated but we are Bollywood lovers). Not that the movie was LOC Kargil but the film which was scheduled to start at 10:45 only started by 11:20.
First there were atleast a dozen advertisements some promoting wedding wear, others promoting some detergent brand. After I was subjected to a short film on these continuous advertisements, I was hoping for some luck that the movie would start. As a stroke of bad luck a placard appears that says “Previews are a part of the film“and there begins a trailer showreel showcasing atleast 6-8 trailers (some upcoming films and rest what films the multiplex has acquired). Each trailer it seemed was competing with the other in terms of length. As the advertisements and trailers got over, I thought I had already seen my film. Enviously I looked around to see the people seated next to me with an entire platter of popcorn and diet colas smiling cunningly (denoting that they were well prepared as this wasn’t their first experience with the theatre).

Also read: The downside of Hindi Film Industry

I suffered from the “Ghajini” syndrome and for a few minutes forgot as to which film I had come to watch at the theatre. To make matters worse although the show started some 20 minutes late there were people walking in even after the show had begun. I wondered if they were late for this show or early for the next. Then I realised they were regular patrons who had miscalculated or taken for granted the multiplex buffer start time.
A sincere request to you and the other multiplex properties to not take our time for granted. A maximum buffer of 10 minutes is good enough but beyond that it makes a regular movie goer restless and uninterested. Anyway, the multiplexes are facing a rough patch in terms of footfalls, these unnecessary advertisements and plug in only ruin the experience further. A suggestion – since they are key units to earn revenue do play them during the interval. Since the multiplex staff does take orders inside the cinema nowadays many people are already seated in the interval. Also the advertisements and upcoming promos do play on the digital screens outside the movie screen. Many that will come early or reach in time will eventually get a glimpse of them as they await to enter the movie screen.

Our take

It’s vital that every multiplex respect the time of their patrons. While we always discuss the hike in ticket rates and quality of cinema, somehow we feel this issue is always left out and unnoticed. A tight time schedule will only enhance and make a movie goer happy. We feel this dilemma is faced by one and all and we are glad Kabir brought this issue up. If you have faced such delays in movie scheduling – do share your experience and thoughts with us on the same.

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27 Comments

  • Sometimes trailers can be more entertaining than the film.
    Last time I saw a movie starring SRK called HNY, and the 1 minute trailers shown before the movie were more entertaining than the whole film itself. Most of SRK’s films are like that.

  • we respect ur feelings kabir.but don’t u understand that ppl who came to watch tevar were feeling better while watchin those ads n trailers.it made there experience better in an otherwise inane film.

  • I think the film was roy.first they start the film late and then start maha booring story. Oh yaar naa hi dekhta to acha tha.

  • Don’t know if this guy is for real or not as Kabir sounds like the fakiest name ever(No offence) Nice article tho.

  • well said kabir thapa aka bunny from yeh jawaani hai dewaani.

    eagerly waiting for your next article.keep it up

  • Yeah,could’nt agree more with Kabir this time,the multiplex where I mostly watch movies gives an interval of more than 10 min filled with cringe worthy commercials…and that’s just interval!! Include the previews and it some times makes my experience horrible if the film is pathetic too.
    And one sincere request plz remove that cigarette tobacco advertisment,I don’t think anyone can refrain from smoking by these,!!

  • Nice article.I remember while watching HNY in PVR there were at least 7-8 advertisements before the beginning of the movie.It just ruins your entire experience of watching a movie.Each of us present in the theatre were waiting with bated breath for the movie to start and when the advertisements takes more than 20 minutes to start you feel like cheated

  • Exactly !!!!! I experienced the same while watching PK at PVR multiplex. It is very annoying n needs to be done something about it. Theatre / Multiplex owners cannot take patrons for granted !!!!!!!!

  • Nothing Big Issue !
    If U Wnt To save time & Don’t want to watch Advertising then
    come late 10 Minute yourself ;)

  • absolutely correct i had also commented on this before on indicine atleast half hour can waste easily by these adds.

  • I enjoy watching the trailers and ads especially that Katrina choc on ad from last 5 years it comes in all the movies I have seen in hall and now I remember it by heart.

  • Excellent article Kabir! I too had a such experience where I went to BIG Cinemas to watch PK which had costliest ticket (Rs 350) in comparison to other multiplexes. Moreover that mall have highest parking rate (Rs 100 on weekend), costliest popcorn combo pack (Rs 250 for large combo) and 30 mins advertisement before the movie was the last nail into the coffin. That was my last movie I watched in the theatre….. Still waiting for ‘Dum laga ke haisha’ on DVD…. and planning to revisit the movie theatre for ‘Age of Ultron’

  • i have been waiting to hear some good news.
    esp, srk’s fan release date.
    will we have 5 200 crore club this year.
    or will we have a 300 crore club or maybe two 300 crore club. about these things i want to hear.
    btw, indicine is the best site ever!

  • wow Kabir really tried all those time wasting before even watching a movie(loc kargil) for another 4hours!!!

  • i extremely hate ads in theatr we want to watch movies and when this advertisement comes on screen i hate that
    the movies are already 2:40 three hours long when ads come we forget the movie.
    after this no advertisement in theatres.

  • True.. for HAPPY NEW YEAR at PVR Cinemas, We had to wait for 28 minutes. . Can u imagine. .
    but the movie made us relaxed. .

  • Wave cinemas too advertise and show atleast 10 adds and then their promotional video of 2 mins. give a serious headache and they make it even worse when it is played again in the interval period.
    Killing more than 30mins.
    Sometime ruining the movie and time.
    In the movie Bang Bang and Kick I suffered from this type of situation

  • I only watch big movies in nzealand and thats not a case with me and I like watching trailers before movie starts,I have seen some movies in india..experience is not so bad yes advertisement quality is bit inferior specialy when we go to see smaller movies…so I am not agree with karan johar this time again but nevertheless good one this time

  • Hahahaha…
    Furious 7 created the Explosion on Bollywood The B-Town, Bollywood now RIP, so just think about the two another remaining Big Bombs of Hollywood POTC-5 and MI-5, what will the future of Bollywood.

    I hope that Gabbar Is Back will make corruption RIP and find out the Bollywood from RIP.

  • I like to watch trailers before movies.

    Also, if Mr. Kabir, you go for a movie at 10.45pm, and considering the movie is atleast 2 hour long, then you are already in to the next day. So, what if you wasted 20 min? lol.

  • True, I think industry is being unfair to concertgoers, by churning out films like HNY & Action Jackson. After spending hard earned 500 bucks, viewer feels duped.
    But, then, it’s the cinegoer who is to be blamed, because he makes such films superhit and sensible films like Baby an average affair at boxoffice.

  • No offence to so called kabir o indicine but not d quality of post which was expected after d frst extravaganza… if u r a frequent movie goer, cmon… not a topic to exaggerate… many things r involved in dis stuff…

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