PVR INOX posted a consolidated net profit of ₹186.4 crore in the March quarter compared to net loss of ₹125.3 crore in the corresponding quarter in the year-ago period. Revenue from operations was up 25.8 per cent year-on-year to ₹1,547.3 crore in the quarter under review. The average ticket price stood at ₹315, up 22 per cent year-on-year and average food and beverages spend per head stood at ₹165, up 32 per cent year-on-year.
Ajay Bijli, MD, PVR INOX Ltd, told businessline, that the strong growth of Indian box office in FY26 reflected a strong structural demand for out-of-entertainment in India. “ I have always been very bullish about the Indian market because of the sheer number and variety of movies across languages and genres and the appetite for people to continue to go out remains very robust. FY26 has proven that people have not only come to the cinemas to watch blockbusters but also mid-scale movies.”
“We had some big hits like Dhurandhar and Saiyaara but we also had some sleeper hits as Mahavatar Narsimha, Laalo Krishna besides successful Hollywood films such as F1, Jurassic Park, Mission Impossible 7. I think it’s very encouraging that cinemas is very much in the fabric of Indian culture, and we are at the forefront of providing this service to the consumers,” he added.
On the future outlook, he said, “Looking ahead, the content pipeline for FY27 remains highly encouraging, with a strong mix of franchise films, star-led tentpoles, large-scale spectacles and content-driven titles across languages. The diversity and scale of this pipeline gives us strong confidence in the theatrical outlook for the fiscal.”
In FY26, the leading multiplex chain added 93 screens and exited 18 underpeforming screens taking the total screen count to 1,798 across 359 cinemas in 113 cities in India and Sri Lanka as of March 31. The company has been focusing on opening new screens in under-penetrated markests with nearly 45 per cent new screens added in Southern India.
“We will continue to add 100-odd screens annually. Capital-light formats accounted for 55 per cent of new screen additions. We have now tested the waters with the asset-light model and the FOCO model and this model will continue to contribute 50-60 per cent of new screens while the balance 30-40 per cent being our own capital,” he added.
Bijli noted that share of premium formats such as IMAX, 4DX and Director’s Cut, has grown to 16 per cent of the overall portfolio. “So on one one hand we are opening new screens in tier-2 and tier-3 markets, on the other hand we are also expanding our premium format sceens. As there is a growing segment of discerning audiences who want to watch movies in more experiential formats. So we want to offer affordable as well as aspirational experiences,” he added.