How theatres are luring you back on Tuesdays

Anyone following the film industry will know that the buzz around soaring ticket prices and expensive food and beverages has been around for quite some time. You’ve likely heard the complaints – how a simple movie outing can feel like a luxury splurge. Many filmmakers have echoed this concern, pointing out that it’s not always the content keeping audiences away, but the overall cost of the experience.
To address this, cinemas are introducing Blockbuster Tuesdays this summer – an initiative aimed at making moviegoing more affordable. Starting this week, theatres across the country (excluding states with regulated pricing) will offer standard movie tickets for just ₹99. Exhibitors say the goal is to give audiences a reason to return to theatres every week. With a curated mix of new releases and beloved classics, the initiative hopes to boost footfalls and rekindle the joy of watching films on the big screen.

Starting this week, cinemas will offer regular movie tickets at Rs 99 on Tuesdays

This summer, cinemas have come up with another experiment - Blockbuster Tuesdays. Starting this week, cinemas across the country (except in states with regulated pricing) will offer regular movie tickets at just Rs 99, and premium formats like recliners, IMAX, 4DX, and ScreenX at lower prices.

Exhibitors say they want to give moviegoers a weekly excuse to step out and experience cinema the way it’s meant to be - on the big screen, in a dark room, with an audience.

"This summer, cinemas are rolling out attractive mid-week prices for moviegoers. It’s our way of reminding the world just how thrilling it is to experience stories on the big screen," says Kamal Gianchandani, President of the Multiplex Association of India and CEO of PVR INOX Pictures. "Blockbuster Tuesdays is a bold, industry-wide initiative that reflects our deep commitment to making cinema more accessible and enjoyable for everyone," he says.

Exhibitors say it will be a mix of new releases and classics lined up to ensure that this summer, Tuesday becomes a weekly ritual of moviegoing. They also add that, as part of Blockbuster Tuesdays, F&B prices will be slashed on Tuesdays throughout the summer.

Cinemas have been experimenting with pricing models since reopening after the pandemic

Exhibitors say that they have been paying attention. Over the past couple of years, cinemas across India have been rethinking how to make the big-screen experience more accessible.

As cinemas struggled to bounce back from the pandemic, grappling with hesitant audiences and half-empty auditoriums, multiplex operators tried something for the first time in India - National Cinema Day. The idea was to drop ticket prices to Rs 75 to make cinema going affordable for everyone. The response was so massive that it’s now an annual event.

The Rs 75 tickets had moviegoers lining up even for early morning shows. That wasn’t just a one-off success - it sparked a trend.
Since then, theatres have been experimenting. Annual National Cinema Day, weekday offers and occasional ticket drops. Exhibitors say this move is aimed at attracting more regular footfalls especially from younger audiences, who are price-sensitive.

Tuesday@Cinemas
-Movie tickets to start at a price of just Rs 99/ Rs 149 every Tuesday.
-Starting from April 8, recliner seats, formats such as IMAX, 3D, 4DX, ScreenX etc., will also be available at special pricing on Tuesdays
-F&B deals will also be available on Tuesdays