A Bengaluru man recently won his case against PVR Cinemas, receiving compensation for what he claimed was unjust time wastage due to excessive advertisements being shown before the start of his film. Abhishek MR, who filed the lawsuit, expressed frustration over the delay experienced during his visit to see the Vicky Kaushal-starrer ‘Sam Bahadur’ on December 26, 2023.
Abhishek, along with two family members, arrived at the theatre anticipating the film, which was scheduled to start at 4:05 PM. Instead, he found himself watching commercial advertisements and trailers for nearly 25 minutes, with the movie finally commencing at 4:30 PM. This unexpected delay left him anxious, as he had arranged his schedule to return to work by the film’s conclusion at 6:30 PM.
Frustrated by the situation, Abhishek filed a complaint with the Bengaluru Urban District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on January 6, 2024, against PVR Cinemas and INOX, which recently merged with PVR. His argument centered on the claim of unfair trade practices, as the excessive advertisements disrupted his plans.
On February 15, the commission ruled against PVR, imposing financial penalties on the cinema chain. The president of the commission, M Shobha, emphasized, “Time is considered as money, each one’s time is very precious. No one has the right to gain benefit out of others’ time and money. 25-30 minutes is not less to sit idle in the theatre and watch whatever the theatre telecasts.”
The court ordered PVR and INOX to pay Abhishek ₹20,000 for mental anguish caused by the inconvenience, along with ₹8,000 to cover his filing costs and ₹1 lakh as punitive damages. It directed the cinema chains to clearly indicate the actual movie start times on tickets, excluding advertisement durations.
PVR defended their actions, stating they are legally obligated to screen public service announcements provided by government bodies to raise awareness about various social welfare initiatives. Despite this claim, the commission found insufficient evidence to show these mandated advertisements were, in fact, being displayed on the day Abhishek visited.
Evidence presented by Abhishek included recorded videos of commercial advertisements running instead of the required public service spots, which helped strengthen his case. The commission noted, “Watching movies gives some relaxation to the mind; it should not lead to any frustration.” They concluded PVR's practices were unfair to customers expecting timely movie screenings.
The ruling sends a strong message about respecting consumers' time, particularly with busy schedules. The commission also noted, like Abhishek, many viewers have faced similar issues, and PVR must adhere to guidelines already set by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
This landmark decision could lead to changes not only for PVR but within the entire cinema industry, as it mandates all movie theaters to rethink how they manage pre-screening advertisements. The verdict insists on consumer rights being at the forefront of business practices, and it reflects the growing importance placed on customer experience.
After this ruling, attending the cinema may feel different for many moviegoers. The hope is to see more transparency from theaters, where actual showtimes are honored, ensuring punctual viewers do not lose valuable time due to preventable delays. The case is certainly one for the record books, underlining the intrinsic value of time and how its mismanagement can lead to significant repercussions for businesses. PVR, once so accustomed to lengthy advertisement slots, must now embrace more considerate practices moving forward.