'Do your homework, we're not costly': PVR MD hits back at critics, defends ticket and popcorn prices
'If you look at our results, our average ticket price is Rs 259. For Rs 259, getting the experience we are giving-if it was a problem-then we wouldn't have got the number of people that we've got,' says PVR's Ajay Bijli
- Dec 24, 2025,
- Updated Dec 24, 2025 7:40 PM IST
PVR INOX Managing Director Ajay Bijli has defended the pricing of tickets and food and beverages (F&B) at the company's cinemas, insisting that their pricing is reasonable. "If you look at our results, our average ticket price is Rs 259. For Rs 259, getting the experience we are giving-if it was a problem-then we wouldn't have got the number of people that we've got," Bijli said in a podcast conversation with Business Today.
Bijli refuted claims that PVR's pricing is higher. "People who talk about this go to a Director's Cut or they'll go to Jio Cinemas that we've got in Mumbai or Koramangala or Rex in Bengaluru. They look at the ticket price being Rs 600–700. They extrapolate that to be the entire average ticket price of PVR," he added, urging critics to "do their homework a little bit more".
When pointed out that Rs 400 popcorn is the same for all moviegoers, the PVR MD corrected, saying the popcorn prices start at Rs 159. "It starts at Rs 159. Again, the Rs 400 popcorn price is for a high-end cinema. And by the way, you get unlimited refills with that (Rs 400)," Bijli explained. "People only read the headlines. They don't read the whole thing."
"I don't think ticket prices are high at all because you can look at our published data, Rs 259 for an experience that we get I don't think it's high," he added.
On PVR's growth trajectory, Bijli highlighted that the company is thriving post-pandemic. "Our first half has already delivered around Rs 450 crore of EBITDA. The third quarter has started very well. October probably was one of our best months. December will probably be one of our best months of all time, the way it's going just now."
He also pointed to 8 million cinema-goers having already visited PVR this year, dismissing previous concerns about the company’s survival. "We are thriving. We are back," he said.
Bijli stressed that cinemas remain an essential part of the entertainment ecosystem. "Cinemas in India-I'm only talking about the Indian market-are really a very important out-of-home infrastructure business which is here to stay...doesn't matter what happens at home."
On Expansion
The PVR MD said nearly 40% of the screens the company has opened this year are in southern India. He said the Southern region is still underpenetrated as far as multiplexes are concerned. "The concentration of single screens is still a lot in the south. The malls and shopping center penetration is still less. So therefore our expansion naturally is going there," he said.
"The second area where our expansion is going is the tier three and four...So tier two and three cities are still underscreened. So, very soon we're launching a Rs 100-125 product which the capex is also going to be 50% of our current capex per screen in smaller towns, which is something I'm very excited about."
PVR INOX Managing Director Ajay Bijli has defended the pricing of tickets and food and beverages (F&B) at the company's cinemas, insisting that their pricing is reasonable. "If you look at our results, our average ticket price is Rs 259. For Rs 259, getting the experience we are giving-if it was a problem-then we wouldn't have got the number of people that we've got," Bijli said in a podcast conversation with Business Today.
Bijli refuted claims that PVR's pricing is higher. "People who talk about this go to a Director's Cut or they'll go to Jio Cinemas that we've got in Mumbai or Koramangala or Rex in Bengaluru. They look at the ticket price being Rs 600–700. They extrapolate that to be the entire average ticket price of PVR," he added, urging critics to "do their homework a little bit more".
When pointed out that Rs 400 popcorn is the same for all moviegoers, the PVR MD corrected, saying the popcorn prices start at Rs 159. "It starts at Rs 159. Again, the Rs 400 popcorn price is for a high-end cinema. And by the way, you get unlimited refills with that (Rs 400)," Bijli explained. "People only read the headlines. They don't read the whole thing."
"I don't think ticket prices are high at all because you can look at our published data, Rs 259 for an experience that we get I don't think it's high," he added.
On PVR's growth trajectory, Bijli highlighted that the company is thriving post-pandemic. "Our first half has already delivered around Rs 450 crore of EBITDA. The third quarter has started very well. October probably was one of our best months. December will probably be one of our best months of all time, the way it's going just now."
He also pointed to 8 million cinema-goers having already visited PVR this year, dismissing previous concerns about the company’s survival. "We are thriving. We are back," he said.
Bijli stressed that cinemas remain an essential part of the entertainment ecosystem. "Cinemas in India-I'm only talking about the Indian market-are really a very important out-of-home infrastructure business which is here to stay...doesn't matter what happens at home."
On Expansion
The PVR MD said nearly 40% of the screens the company has opened this year are in southern India. He said the Southern region is still underpenetrated as far as multiplexes are concerned. "The concentration of single screens is still a lot in the south. The malls and shopping center penetration is still less. So therefore our expansion naturally is going there," he said.
"The second area where our expansion is going is the tier three and four...So tier two and three cities are still underscreened. So, very soon we're launching a Rs 100-125 product which the capex is also going to be 50% of our current capex per screen in smaller towns, which is something I'm very excited about."