In a media report, Ajay Bijli, Managing Director, PVR Inox, addressed criticism over inflated ticket prices. He explained that he has tried cheaper ticket pricing and combo offers, but ultimately, the success depends on the quality of films being released. Bijli shared anecdotal evidence of paying customers using a free refill offer on popcorn and beverages without actually watching the films they bought tickets for, arguing that it is unfair to blame the exhibition sector for the industry’s issues.
He specified that PVR Inox’s average ticket price across India is approximately Rs 260. He pointed out, “Of course, pricing is important. There is no question about it. But people are time-poor more than cash-poor. I have done experiments with pricing as low as possible. What can be less than Rs 85 for infrastructure like this? Yet, people don’t come out. They aren’t attracted only to price. They’re saying, ‘In my three hours, also give me something engaging’. Pricing isn’t the only thing that moves the needle.”
Bijli stated that 65 per cent of PVR's revenue comes from the box office, about 25 per cent from food and beverages, and 10 per cent from advertising. But he emphasised that the first priority is getting people through the doors. Everything is driven by foot traffic. His entire team's daily goal is to increase footfall. The pricing issue is merely a matter of perception. They have discounted their prices more than you can imagine. PVR Inox is now 'manufacturing footfalls,' a new term that it has coined. Last month, it attracted over 200,000 people through corporate bookings, old movies, and stand-up comedy shows.
Stating an example from his observation, he said, “Content is causing variability. I have kept everything constant. Variability is caused by content, not ticket pricing. In fact, I’ve got videos of customers coming and not watching the movie. They fill up (on food) and go. You know what they’ve done? They have picked up popcorn, father is telling the children, ‘Isko bharo’. They’re filling it up, it’s spilling. Then they’re gulping it down, it’s again spilling. This is when we did the Rs 99 offer. I’ve seen a multitude of videos like that. People are just going crazy, they don’t have any more room in their stomachs and they’re just eating and drinking.” Bijli mentioned that his initial instinct was to end the offer, but his associate advised against it, suggesting that doing so would demonstrate that pricing isn't the real issue.
He stated that only 14 per cent of PVR screens in India have ticket prices above Rs 350 per seat, while the remaining 86 per cent are priced between Rs 180 and Rs 200 per seat. “That’s my value proposition customer. My value proposition customer is my bread and butter.” Previously, Bijli discussed the issue of rising ticket prices, noting that he has a diverse range of customers to accommodate.
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