Growth of Multiplex and its impact 1

GROWTH OF MULTIPLEX AND ITS IMPACT – AN INDIAN

CINEMA EXPERIENCE

Paper presented at the National Seminar on “Cinema of India: Flashback of 100

years and scripting for the future” organized by Banaras Hindu University held on
16th – 18th April 2015

Vemulakonda Sai Srinivas 1

Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Osmania University, Hyderabad - 500 007,
Telangana, India

1
Vemulakonda Sai Srinivas is an Assitant Professor, lecturing at various colleges of
Journalism and Mass Communication in Hyderabad. He can be contacted at saivs@hotmail.com
Growth of Multiplex and its impact 2

GROWTH OF MULTIPLEX AND ITS IMPACT – AN INDIAN CINEMA EXPERIENCE

Abstract

Indian cinema with its century old rich heritage has evolved from celluloid to digital cinema and

multiplexes. During this evolution various developments in terms of technological advancements

took place not only in film making, marketing, distributing but also in how moviegoers watch

cinema paving way to multiplexes thereby becoming entertainment centres. Indians are discerning

about movies and their affair with Bollywood is eat movies, sleep movies, and live movies, so

much so that Bollywood has become an integral part of their daily lives. Multiplexes are housed

in shopping malls making it a more lucrative business proposition, as it saves time for the people

to shop, entertain, and watch movies within the same premises. Thus making malls and multiplexes

symbiotic with each other’s footfalls for revenue generation. In this backdrop we will look at how

Indian talkies has evolved from theatre (single screens) to multiplexes (multiple screens) of the

present day and their impact in watching and experiencing cinema differently.

Keywords: Multiplex, Bollywood, Indian Cinema, Movies, Talkies, Theatres, Malls, Films.
Growth of Multiplex and its impact 3

GROWTH OF MULTIPLEX AND ITS IMPACT – AN INDIAN CINEMA EXPERIENCE

Introduction
The cinema is still a favorite pastime of most populations across the globe, more so in
India, which is the largest film producing country in the world 2. Cinema was introduced in India
by the British when Frenchmen Lumiere brothers sent Marius Sestier to Mumbai in July 1896 to
screen their short films to an elite British audience3. Incidentally 1895 was also the year of
Swadeshi movement. This was a humble beginning for Indian cinema as it paved way for film
making and the first Indian short film ‘The Wrestlers’ was made by Harishchandra Sakharam
Bhatavdekar in 1899 in which Bhatavdekar captured a wrestling match held in Mumbai’s Hanging
Gardens4.
During the evolutionary phase Dundiraj Govinda Phalke, a magician and an avid
photographer dared to dream of making the first full length feature film ‘Raja Harishchandra’, a
silent Marathi movie released in 19135. Dadasaheb Phalke as he is fondly called is considered a
pioneer and the government in recognition of his contribution to Indian cinema commemorated a
lifetime achievement award in his honor in 19696. The world’s first sound movie ‘The Jazz Singer’
was made in 1927 and in this backdrop Ardeshir Irani produced ‘Alam Ara’ the first Indian full
length sound movie in 19317. While Irani is considered as the ‘father of Indian talkies’, Phalke is
considered the ‘father of Indian cinema’. The term ‘talkie’ came into existence in 1931 when the
films characters were able to narrate (talk, sing, and converse). These sound movies exhibited
became synonymous with theatres and hence theatres were also called as talkies.
Exhibition of Cinemas
Initially cinemas were exhibited in tents and Jamshedji Framjee Madan was the first to
establish India’s first cinema hall in 1907 called ‘Elphinstone Picture Palace’ in Kolkata8. The
first cinema halls known as ‘film theatres’ or ‘picture palaces’, were constructed in places where
the British populace resided and conducted their business9. Throughout this entire phase silent
movies were the norm of the day until 1931 when the first Indian sound or talkie cinema ‘Alam
Ara’ was made.
Most theatres had two or more shows a day and sometimes 12 shows a day during festivals.
The demand and mass participation by audiences involved the introduction of the tickets which
were priced at an ‘anna’ (fraction of a rupee). The tickets were priced in three classes from two or

2
Gokulsing, K Moti, Dissanayake Wimal. Routledge Handbook of Indian Cinemas, Routledge, USA, 2013.
3
Hutchinson, Pamela. The birth of India’s film industry: how the movies came to Mumbai. Retrieved from
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jul/25/birth-indias-film-industry-movies-mumbai (19-Nov-2014).
4
Saran, Renu. History of Indian Cinema, Diamond Pocket Books, India, 2014. P.43-48
5
Ibid. p.13
6
http://pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/lyr2001/roct2001/18102001/r181020016.html (19-Nov-2014)
7
Saran. History of p.44
8
Ibid.
9
Athique Adrian, Hill Douglas. The Multiplex in India: A cultural economy of urban leisure, Routledge, USA,
2010.
Growth of Multiplex and its impact 4

three annas to two rupees10. Slowly theatre became a profitable business and independent
entrepreneurs ventured into this exhibition business. This was the humble beginning of an
emerging Indian film industry which was to become a medium by itself to reckon in the future, so
much so that we have evolved from a single screen to double screen to multiple screens in a single
complex leading to multiplexes and a much hyped digital experience.
According to Rajadhyaksha11, Raja Harishchandra a full length feature film made in 1913
is considered in all official history books as the first Indian feature film entirely made in India.
Hence India is celebrating its Cinema centenary (1913-2013) celebrations this past year. It is a
common practice that Film studies have focused on many aspects that have dealt about film
making, distribution, marketing, directors, actors, crews, story, technicalities etc. but seldom about
audiences and theatres which are an essential component to exhibition. The flip side of films is the
theatres or cinema halls which also play an equal role in exhibiting movies. This paper analyzes
this facet of cinema and the subliminal visual experiences that the audiences undergo and the
impact on the sublime moviegoers psyche.
Diary of Cinema Halls
ICC Report noted that “This was the time when India was under colonial rule and the
theatres were predominantly catering to the British audiences and the Indian urban elite. Initially
the movies were exhibited as travelling tent cinemas or touring talkies evolving into present day
theatres or permanent cinemas”12. Though it is a fact that travelling cinema is still prevalent in the
interior districts of Maharashtra where big fairs are held in deep remote hinterlands and where
there are no cinema halls. As discussed the cinema theatres were existent from the colonial times
and there was a significant involvement and craze of the Indian public too for cinemas which was
overwhelming, paving way for cinema halls to grow in stature and number thus becoming a
profitable business proposition.
The relationship between films and theatres is like ‘fish and water’, thereby establishing a
symbiotic relationship between films and theatres. According to Rajadhyaksha (1997), during
1910’s Madan Film Theatres established themselves as the pioneers in cinema halls by expanding
and also foraying into film production in 1917, thereby bolstering their presence to 37 theatres by
1920. As the film medium evolved during this time and started booming, the number of theatres
rose from 150 in 1923 to 265 in 1927. Mumbai city had 20 cinema halls, Kolkata 13, Chennai 9,
Delhi 6, Pune 6, while the rest of Indian cities had three to four cinema halls13.
There was a growing demand for Indian Productions by the native urban elite audiences
and this saw the emergence of movies and different production houses that expanded during this
phase while ‘Madan Theatres Ltd’ and ‘Globe Theatres Ltd’ were the major cinema houses.
Rajadhyaksha stated (1997), that the four established production houses by 1920s were The
Kohinoor, The Imperial, Ranjit Movietone, & Sagar Film Company. While Madan Theatres owned
10
Ibid
11
Rajadhyaksha, Ashish. The Oxford History of World Cinema, Edited by Geoffrey Nowell-Smith, Oxford
University Press, London, 1997, Page Nos. 398-409.
12
Report of the Indian Cinematograph Committee (ICC) 1927-1928. Government Press. India. 1928.
13
Athique & Hall, The Multiplex
Growth of Multiplex and its impact 5

65 film theatres by 1927 and another 20 in association establishing monopoly (producing,

importing, distributing, & exhibiting) whereas Globe Theatres owned around 7 to 8 theatres. The
ICC Report avers that “Due to the overwhelming response received by the nascent film industry
there was an unprecedented increase in theatres and the seating accommodation was around 800
in each cinema hall”14.
Imagine the amount of craze cinemas have instilled in the minds of Indian filmgoers so
much so that the age of silent era itself has churned out close to 300 theatres and this was even
before the beginning of the sound films or talkie movies and ever since then theatres have
mushroomed overwhelmingly across India. This was just the tip of iceberg while the untapped
potential of the rural India remained virgin as most of the theatres were available in and around
the big cities and provincial towns. This establishes the fact that the majority of moviegoers are
the educated and semi-educated class. The Indian film industry first made its full length feature
film Raja Harischandra in the year 1913, thus the film and the year 1913 turned out to be in all
official historical records as the first film made indigenously. Thus Indian film industry was born15
(Rajadhyaksha, 1997).
The cinema halls have evolved over the ages i.e. pre independence thru post-independence
to the present along with the passage of time equipping themselves with bigger screens, better
seating capacity, sound and video equipment’s, graduating from black & white to color, and to
digital experiences to present day multiplexes.
Class Distinction
The novelty of pricing strategy existed right from the inception of the cinema halls and
continues to accommodate the rich and the poor, thereby establishing the class distinction.
Rajadhyaksha averred that “The prices of tickets started around two or three anna’s for the ‘pit’
for the lower classes and Rupees two to three for higher classes depending on the seating price
which was either a luxurious sofa or an exclusive box seating”16.
It is to be noted that this distinction in ticket pricing is prevalent even in the present times
where single screen and double screen theatres are existing. However, with the introduction of
multiplexes this distinction got engulfed and the tickets were priced uniformly establishing the fact
that you get the best of seating on the basis of first cum first serve, thus diminishing the class
distinction, while enforcing affordability concept. But with competition stiffening up and in a bid
to outdo their rivals most multiplexes have once again introduced the class distinction by way of
affordability like luxury seating and other comforts with the ticket priced higher than the regular
ticket albeit with a limited number of seating. This is a world-wide phenomenon prevalent in all
walks of life so to say even in railways, airways etc. where masses are involved and continues to
do so emphasizing the fact that class distinction is not just restricted to India.

14
Report of India Cinematograph Committee
15
Rajadhyaksha, The Oxford
16
Ibid.
Growth of Multiplex and its impact 6

According to Athique & Hall, the mid 1980’s and 1990’s saw cinema halls taking a beating
due to the proliferation of TV, VCR’s, and VCD’s17. This period also saw the downfall in profits
of running movie theatres, despite government legislating to further reduce ticket rates and
reserving the first three rows for the poor with an ulterior political motive18.
Industry Status
Bollywood is considered ‘Hollywood of the East’ and the demand for Indian movies
overseas and various other reasons also ensured that Indian government recognized Bollywood as
an industry in May 1998. Tejaswini averred that industry status was given to save and rescue the
film industry from the clutches of the underworld that was plaguing the film industry19. This status
led to the corporatization of the industry due to the influx of heavy investments, tie-ups, mergers
& acquisitions etc. from Foreign Institutional Investors (FII) and other multi-national corporates
(MNC). Not only this, the industry got financial support for production houses in the form of loans
from nationalized banks too, thus making it a legitimate economic business activity. This helped
curb the influx of black money and organized crime to a certain extent, though not eradicating it
completely, traces of which are still found in the industry.
The rapid urbanization of the Indian population in the cities and migration of people from
surrounding rural areas to cities saw a rise in demand due to the boom in retail sector which has
seen considerable growth opportunities in real estate as well as malls and multiplexes. Former and
late Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao was instrumental in introducing economic liberalization
and reform policies in the 90’s. This was also the era of Liberalization, Privatization, &
Globalization (LPG) as India opened up for foreign investments to usher in the new millennium.
Accordingly many native rich and non-resident Indians (NRI) started investing in India and film
industry was one of the industries which got a fillip. In this backdrop, Athique & Hall said “India’s
first multiplex has been in operation since 1997 and has become an intrinsic part of leisure
infrastructure inspired by the western society thus massive investments being made in constructing
thousands of shopping malls nationwide”20.
Advent of Multiplex
Multiplex introduced the dimension of cinema viewing experience with high class seating,
state of the art screens, and audio visual systems. Nobrega & Ashish (2008) stated, PVR was the
first to introduce in 1997 the concept of multiplex in India. PVR then a joint venture between Priya
Exhibitors Pvt Ltd and Village Roadshow Ltd an Australian media firm, hence the name PVR
(Priya Village Roadshow), though Village Roadshow sold of their stake to Priya in 2002 and
exited21. Undoubtedly PVR Cinemas is the market leader in multiplexes.

17
Television (TV), Video Cassette Recorder (VCR), Video Compact Disc (VCD)
18
Athique & Hall, The Multiplex
19
Tejaswini Ganti. Bollywood – A Guidebook to Popular Hindi Cinema, Routledge, USA, 2004.
20
Athique & Hall, The Multiplex
21
Nobrega, William, Sinha, Ashish. Riding the Indian Tiger. Understanding India – The world’s fastest
growing market, John Wiley and Sons Inc., USA, 2008.
Growth of Multiplex and its impact 7

The multiplexes with the concept of smaller seating capacities and higher admission prices
started gaining a foothold and established the concept of viewing and experiencing movies
differently. With time these malls and multiplexes have become public places of display of
opulence, and rubbing shoulders with high and mighty.
According to Goenka (2014), Cinema was the only source of entertainment for the majority
of Indians until the arrival of TV in 198222. At this point in time the single cinema theatres could
accommodate 1000 audiences at any given time, and going to movies was a family event for many
families. Goenka states that:
“With economic liberalization came the rapid expansion of India’s middle class,
including an influx of high tech jobs in software development, call centers, and other
support sectors. A burgeoning middle class – now numbering 250 million or more in a
total population of 1.3 billion – has affected everything from food consumption to
shopping. For the film industry a key shift was the building of indoor shopping malls with
multiplex movie theatres, first in the major cities and then in smaller cities and towns.“
The United States has been a role model for most of the multiplexes in India, as they seat
a smaller capacity of 300 to 400 audiences. The tickets in the multiplex are computerized and easy
to account for sales and profits, in stark contrast to single screen theatres, but now some of these
single theatres are also catching up with the times and trends. In addition most of the multiplexes
offer online ticket booking to choose your seating according to your preference. Because of
advanced technologies like satellite distribution most of the Bollywood movies open in movie
theatres on the same day globally thus reducing geographical barriers and making the world a
smaller place. According to Goenka, these technological developments have allowed filmmakers
to cater movies for targeted groups or audiences, and a new cinema independent in both content
and financing and aimed at the hip and young population of urban India known as ‘indie’ or
‘multiplex cinema’ thrived. On the flip side these movies are abound with expletives which the
urban audiences feel comfortable and relate to.
Single screen owners considered going multiscreen because of various reasons like huge
entertainment taxes, low occupancy, piracy, and high operational costs involved in running a single
screen theatre which consisted of 1000 seats capacity. In contrast by converting the single screen
to multiscreen each with 300 or less capacity, would reduce the operational cost per show and will
allow a greater programming flexibility to the screen owners. With a small investment on
renovation, the exhibitors would have the flexibility to increase the average ticket price and charge
a premium for certain shows thus making them more economically viable (FICCI-KPMG report,
2015).23

22
Goenka Tula. (2014). South Asia in the World – An Introduction, Edited by Susan S Wadley. M.E. Sharpe Inc.,
New York, 2014, Page Nos. 261-272.
23
Report of FICCI-KPMG: Indian Media and Entertainment Industry Report 2015 (24-Mar-2015). Retrieved from
http://www.kpmg.com/IN/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/FICCI-KPMG_2015.pdf (26-Mar-
2015).
Growth of Multiplex and its impact 8

Consolidation of Multiplex
The leading multiplex players and cinema chains are PVR, Imax, Inox, Fun Cinemas (Essel
Group)24, Big Cinemas (Reliance Media Works)25, and Mexican chain Cinepolis26 is foraying into
India. According to FICCI-KPMG industry report (2015), the year 2014 saw the consolidation
with Carnival Cinema’s entry into the big league through three major acquisitions: HDIL
Broadway (10 screens), Reliance Owned Big Cinemas (252 screens), and Stargaze Entertainment
from Network18 Media (30 screens). Other prominent acquisitions included Inox Leisure Ltd
acquiring Satyam Cinemas (38 screens), and Cinepolis acquiring Fun Cinemas (83 screens). Post
consolidation, PVR Cinemas continues to be the leading exhibitor with 462 screens followed by
Inox Leisure Ltd with 365 screens and Carnival Cinemas with 330 screens. The industry might
witness another round of consolidation soon with the major multiplex chains acquiring smaller
regional chains.27
Nobrega & Sinha observed that, “many multiplex chains have also gone public and are
traded in the stock markets”.28 It is startling to know that India has a paltry 9000 screens serving
1.2 billion population i.e. 1, 33,000 patrons per screen, in stark contrast to USA which has 40000
screens serving 8000 patrons per screen29.
Impact of Multiplex
Ambwani averred, “The first multiplex to open in India was PVR Anupam in New Delhi with four
screens in 1997.30 Just as there are two sides to a coin, so also multiplexes have their own merits
and demerits. Multiplexes have grown in stature from a modest beginning. The investments made
by foreign as well as domestic investors either individually or in the form of joint ventures,
partnerships, merger & acquisitions has increased and contributed to the economy of India. Though
a lot of conglomerates have been present in India for over a decade, it is apparent that more
continue to foray.
Gokulsing & Dissanayake noted that “PVR Anupam was the result of refurbishment of a
large old theatre into a multiscreen modeled on an international standard and charging five times
the balcony price at a regular theatre”31. This has become Delhi’s most successful and profitable
multiplex and laid the foundation for the chrome and glass multiplexes to come. Multiplexes have
become a rage with smaller seating capacity, high admission prices, and the entertainment menu

24
http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/multiplex-major-cinepolis-in-talks-to-buy-fun-republic-
114101300038_1.html (19-Nov-2014)
25
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-06-02/news/50272524_1_big-cinemas-sach-ka-saamna-dus-
ka-dum (19-Nov-2014)
26
http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/multiplex-boom-india/1/24168.html (19-Nov-2014)
27
Report of FICCI-KPMG: Indian Media and Entertainment Industry Report 2015 (24-Mar-2015). Retrieved from
http://www.kpmg.com/IN/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/FICCI-KPMG_2015.pdf (26-Mar-
2015).
28
Nobrega & Sinha. Riding the Indian
29
http://variety.com/2014/film/news/mall-closures-theater-taxes-stunt-growth-of-indian-multiplexes-1201180902/
30
Ambwani, Verma Meenakshi. After multiplexes, megaplexes to woo movie buffs. The Hindu Business Line.
Retrieved from http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/after-multiplexes-megaplexes-to-woo-
movie-buffs/article5508793.ece (19-Nov-2014)
31
Gokulsing & Dissanayake. Routledge Handbook
Growth of Multiplex and its impact 9

offered proved to be too good for the middle class public. These middle class public considered
themselves as ‘decent crowd’ differentiating themselves from the general cinema audience. By far
the movie experience in the multiplex is odor free and marked by a relative silence in comparison
to older cinema halls where the crowds whistled, screamed, booed, tossed coins/papers, sing and
dance etc. was considered cheap. This is what differentiates the crowd of the multiplexes.
In a report by Ernst and Young (2012), it was estimated that India with its billion odd
population is a lucrative emerging market and investors want to cash in this opportunity32. In
addition it reported that India is among the youngest nations in the world with half a billion under
the age of 25. This renewed interest clubbed with the rise in disposable incomes, the urge to spend
on leisure and entertainment is high to strengthen India as the best place to invest with high returns
on investments (ROI). Entry restrictions have been relaxed for foreign investors and Foreign Direct
Investment caps increased recently, thus providing opportunities for ‘sunset’ industries (global) in
mature markets with declining revenues, to flourish in India. In addition the regional markets or
the tier 2 or tier 3 towns (non-metro cities) are the most virgin markets with untapped potentials.
According to a report by FICCI-KPMG (2015), “the range of films changed as film makers
realized that there are audiences for unique and story led films. It was no longer a one size fits all
single screen approach to films anymore.”33 This void was cashed in by the multiplexes because
they could afford to screen these movies on select days and select timings thus catering to a
particular type who are the elitist moviegoers called the ‘indie’ audiences. Earlier, these same films
which were called the parallel or art cinema, had selective and limited audiences and not many
theatres to screen them. But thanks to multiplex this gap could be addressed with specified timings
and days to screen them thus catering to a mix of diverse audiences and thereby giving a new lease
of life for art cinemas.
Digitization and satellite distribution in film industry played a major role in expanding the
reach globally by enabling simultaneous release of movies. Earlier movies used to run for 100 days
in cinema halls to be declared a box office hit, but in the present day movies are declared box
office hits in the first week itself churning out profits, thanks to multiplexes. Dutt and Noble (2008)
in their book stated that, in the present times of multiplexes 40 percent of attendance in the theatres
is sufficient to make a profit, while DVD, CD, sales to cable channels, satellite and internet rights,
mobile ringtones, and music contribute the remaining profits34.
Pricey Screens
The movie watching experience has been elevated in multiplexes because of the service
provided in terms of digital audio-video technology, state of the art screens, seating comfort with
padded arm rests, air-conditioning, refreshments being served at your seat etc. which are missing

32
Report of Ernst and Young (31/Jan/2012) titled Spotlight on India’s Entertainment Economy. Retrieved from
http://emergingmarkets.ey.com/spotlight-on-indias-entertainment-economy/ (19-Nov-2014).
33
Report of FICCI-KPMG: Indian Media and Entertainment Industry Report 2015. Retrieved from
http://www.kpmg.com/IN/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/FICCI-KPMG_2015.pdf (26-Mar-
2015).
34
Dutt, K Ashok, Noble, G Allen. Explorations in Applied Geography, Edited by Dutt K Ashok, Mishra H.N., &
Meera Chatterjee, Prentice Hall India, New Delhi. 2008, p.280-285.
Growth of Multiplex and its impact 10

in regular cinema halls. According to Athique & Hill, “The multiplexes are configured to comfort
and not capacity.”35 Though some single cinemas have equipped themselves on par with the
multiplexes thus enhancing the audience’s movie experience on a lower budget. In addition the
shopping malls and multiplexes have become the most happening places as most people especially
the youth prefer to hang out at these places whilst they indulge in window shopping, eating, and
amuse themselves apart from watching movies amongst various other activities and
entertainments. This complements and contributes to increase in footfalls as all these are blended
under one roof called the ‘mall’.
On the contrary, let us look at the vagaries of multiplex, these are many as they are way
too expensive for an average moviegoer to go with family. Goenka observed “The tickets are
priced around Rs.200-250 per head and at the same time sodas and snacks cost a fortune too in the
multiplexes, then there is the parking fee for vehicles which is also exorbitant”36. These multiplex
ticket prices vary from city to city and state to state. So on an average if a family of four people
go for watching a movie, the budget should be around Rs.1000 just for the tickets and if they can
afford another Rs.1000 for the eateries. So a single movie outing with the family would shave the
family of Rs.2000. If we take into account a single member earning family this outing would be
cumbersome. In addition some multiplexes have ticket distinctions like Gold Class or VIP Class
which are double the price, as these have a special entrance and lobby with luxury seating
experience. Earlier the multiplexes had a uniform ticket pricing with no class distinctions, but with
more and more multiplexes thronging and the competition has rung in the distinction of viewing
experience and with it the gold class or VIP class seating. This distinction turned out to be a
harrowing experience for an average moviegoer. Moreover these multiplexes are housed in a
shopping mall, which have gaming arcades, food courts, multinational fast food outlets, and a host
of other amusements which are all way too expensive, thus providing a complete entertainment
package and thereby an increase in revenue footfalls for businesses.
Paucity for Space
A burgeoning middle class, rising per capita income, and a rise in the working population
are expected to fuel growth and demand for goods and services in the future (Ernst and Young,
2012). It is imperative that as the metros (tier 1) – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad
&, Bengaluru, are reaching a saturation point, the business establishments are spreading out to tier
2, tier 3 cities to enhance their business prospects. Tier 1 cities are becoming ‘sunset’ cities due to
scarcity of land, rise in population, traffic congestions etc. leaving no room for further development
and expansion. This is ample proof of how multiplex corporates are expanding their footprint pan
India, thus renewing the growth potential and increased competition.
Multiplexes are also on the rise because the metropolises are falling short of land to develop
further adequately and prime commercial properties in the city which are running single theatres
are turning into lucrative assets and are being turned into either commercial complexes or shopping
malls with multiplexes as is evident. This conversion of single screen theatres into shopping malls

35
Athique & Hill. The Multiplex
36
Goenka. South Asia.
Growth of Multiplex and its impact 11

without having proper infrastructure and planning is leading to hubbub and adding misery to
already existing pandemonium. Ramachandran observed “the malls were setup wherever the space
was available and aspects like location planning, zoning, mall management strategy were not
considered by many, resulting in the closure of malls as a process of market correction”37.
As discussed with land and space becoming a paucity, the cities started expanding out
towards and beyond its periphery and thereby increasing the distance from the downtown or central
locations. Satellite townships started developing and the multiplexes and shopping malls have
started burgeoning in the new townships catering to the local community. Since original single
screens were located in the city centres, travelling all the way from far away suburbs to the city
centre beating all the traffic was turning out to be a harrowing experience. This can be attributed
as a fine example to the mushrooming of malls at the far end of the cities. Corporates that can
understand and adapt themselves to the fabric of the Indian society and culture thus investing in
intelligent rationed manner are liable to taste success and make profits.
Conclusion
Cinema viewing experience has drastically changed over the course of time and evolved
from celluloid to digital cinema to multiplexes. The transition from single screen movies to a more
technologically advanced, and to the more sophisticated multiple screens (multiplex) has come a
long way thus giving viewers the much needed rich viewing experience. With space becoming a
constraint and a precious commodity, multiplexes started mushrooming. As these multiplexes are
housed in shopping malls, it’s only natural for them to complement each other’s footfalls for
revenue generation. These multiplexes not only impacted the way cinemas are watched but also
took audiences to new echelons of viewing and experiencing movies. Of course all these come
with a price.

37
Ramachandran, Naman. (14-May-2014) titled Mall closures, theatre taxes stunt growth of Indian Multiplexes.
Retrieved from http://variety.com/2014/film/news/mall-closures-theater-taxes-stunt-growth-of-indian-multiplexes-
1201180902/ (19-Nov-2014)
Growth of Multiplex and its impact 12

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