



Flexible ticket pricing revives midweek cinema visits, but there’s a catch
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI : Audiences are lapping up weekly ticket offers priced as low as ₹99, at least for films with strong word-of-mouth, providing a stamp of approval for the idea that reasonable pricing can lure large segments back to cinemas. Multiplex chains and independent theatres that introduced weekly offers such as “Blockbuster Tuesdays" in 2025 recorded higher-than-usual footfalls, especially for mid-budget, non-star titles.
However, these offers haven’t helped films that had little going for them to begin with, reinforcing the view that content must sell itself. “Blockbuster Tuesdays was introduced to revive and strengthen mid-week theatrical attendance. Through compelling, value-led ticket pricing, the initiative has successfully encouraged audiences to return to cinemas beyond weekends," said Gautam Dutta, chief executive, revenue and operations, PVR INOX Ltd, India's largest multiplex chain.
Dutta added that the initiative has emerged as a key driver of weekday footfalls, helping sustain film momentum through the week, and may have clocked approximately 22.5 million footfalls by the end of 2025, reflecting strong consumer resonance across markets. Devang Sampat, the managing director of India's second-largest multiplex chain Cinépolis India, said, for the chain, the share of Tuesday admissions has increased from 9-10% to 15-16% of weekly footfalls. “We are reaching viewers who may not have been regular moviegoers.
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