Rachana Ramesh (BANGALORE MIRROR; February 20, 2025)
A Bengaluru resident won a consumer case against PVR and INOX (now merged with PVR) for displaying excessive advertisements before film screenings, which he claimed was a waste of his time.
According to Bar and Bench’s report, Abhishek MR initiated legal proceedings against PVR Cinemas, BookMyShow and INOX for showing approximately 25 minutes of advertisements before the film’s start, during his visit to watch Sam Bahadur in 2023.
The consumer court has directed PVR to display the actual film start time on tickets, rather than the time when advertisements begin. The complainant stated that the extended advertisement duration caused delays, disrupting his work schedule.
The district consumer forum determined that PVR and INOX should not engage in unfair practices by showing lengthy commercial advertisements during scheduled film time. However, they absolved BookMyShow of responsibility as they do not control showtimes or advertisement broadcasts. The court emphasized that time has value and no entity should profit from others’ time and resources.
“Spending 25 to 30 minutes watching advertisements is a significant waste of time, especially for individuals with tight schedules. People seek entertainment for relaxation, but that does not mean they have no other responsibilities,” the court observed.
Following this ruling, the court has instructed PVR and INOX to specify actual film start times on tickets, cease unfair trade practices, and restrict advertisement duration. The court awarded Rs 20,000 to Abhishek for mental distress, Rs 8,000 for complaint filing expenses, and Rs 1 lakh as punitive damages.
PVR INOX justified their practice by referencing government mandates for public service announcements before films, though the court noted these guidelines specify a 10-minute limit.
The complainant documented the advertisements as evidence. While PVR INOX contested this as an anti-piracy violation, the court rejected this argument, noting only advertisements were recorded to highlight a widespread concern.
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Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; February 20, 2025)
What happened
A consumer commission in Bengaluru has ordered PVR INOX to ensure that movie tickets mention the actual start time of a film, not the time when ads are screened before a film. While the cinema chain claimed that it is legally obligated to screen certain Public Service Announcement (PSA), the Consumer Commission stated, “Cinemas should concentrate on telecasting commercial ads as well as PSAs as per the guidelines during the intermission of the movie. They can telecast PSAs 10 mins prior to the movie.”
Background
– A complainant claimed that around 25 minutes of his time was wasted when he went to watch Sam Bahadur in 2023 at a mall in Bengaluru, as he was shown long commercial ads before the film
– He booked tickets worth ₹825.66 for a 4.05pm show. He entered the theatre around 4pm. However, the cinema played ads and movie trailers from 4 to 4.25pm, and the film began only at 4.30pm
– The complainant claimed the 30-minute delay disrupted his plan to return to work by 6:30pm
– The cinema chain claimed that it was required to play PSAs
– The consumer forum found that 95% of the ads played before the movie attended by the complainant were not government PSAs but commercial ads
‘25-30 minutes is not less (time) to sit idle in the theatre’
The District Consumer Commission said in a statement, “In the new era, time is considered money. Each one’s time is precious, no one has the right to gain benefit out of others’ time and money. 25-30 minutes is not less (time) to sit idle in the theatre and watch whatever the theatre telecasts. It is very hard for busy people with tight schedules to watch unnecessary advertisements.”
The directions by Consumer Commission
– Cinema tickets should specify the actual movie start time for the public.
– Advertisements should not be shown beyond the scheduled show time stated on the ticket
– The district consumer forum further ordered the cinema to pay ₹20,000 to the complainant for causing him mental agony and inconvenience, and an additional ₹28,000 towards the expenses he bore to file the complaint
– Rs. 1 lakh as punitive damages for engaging in unfair trade practice
Cinemas are obligated under the law to screen certain PSAs: Cinemas
In their defence, the cinema chain claimed, “Cinemas are obligated under the law to screen certain Public Service Announcement (PSA) in the form of short films and documentaries provided by the Central Government or State Government from time to time. The main objective of such announcements is to spread awareness amongst the citizens about the important social issues. These PSAs are screened during prime time, prior to screening of any movie, when the audience are seated inside the theatre.”