PVR-Inox fined ₹1 lakh for 'wasting viewer's time' by delaying movie start with excessive ads

A district consumer court has fined multiplex chain PVR-Inox ₹1 lakh for delaying movie screenings with prolonged advertisements, ruling the practice as an unfair trade practice. The verdict came after Bengaluru resident Abhishek MR filed a complaint stating that his 4:05 PM show of Sam Bahadur on December 26, was delayed by 25 minutes due to continuous ads and trailers, disrupting his schedule. The court found the delay unjustified and held PVR-Inox accountable for misrepresenting actual movie start times.

The court ordered PVR-Inox to pay ₹20,000 to the complainant for mental distress and inconvenience, along with ₹8,000 for legal expenses. Additionally, a penalty of ₹1 lakh was imposed on the company for engaging in unfair trade practices, with the amount to be deposited into the consumer welfare fund within 30 days. The ruling also directed the multiplex chain to ensure that cinema tickets clearly mention the actual start time of the film, excluding ad durations.

In its defense, PVR-Inox argued that advertisements before a movie accommodate late arrivals and that they are legally required to screen public service announcements (PSAs). However, the court dismissed the justification, stating, “No one has the right to gain from others’ time and money… 25-30 minutes is not less to sit idle in the theatre and watch whatever the theatre telecasts.” It noted that only 10 minutes of PSAs are mandated, while 95% of the pre-screening content in this case consisted of commercial ads.

The consumer court also directed PVR-Inox to stop displaying advertisements beyond the scheduled show time mentioned on tickets, emphasizing that excessive pre-movie ads violate consumer rights. BookMyShow, which was also named in the complaint, was exempted from liability as it does not control the scheduling of films.

PVR-Inox, India’s largest multiplex chain, operates over 1,700 screens across 111 cities. The ruling sets a significant precedent for cinema chains, reinforcing the importance of transparency in movie showtimes and fair treatment of consumers.