A 30-year-old Bengaluru man, Abhishek MR, has won ₹65,000 in compensatory damages after he sued PVR Cinemas, INOX, and BookMyShow, alleging that they wasted 25 minutes of his time by playing excessive advertisements before the screening of Sam Bahadur.
Complaint Details
- Abhishek had booked three tickets for the 4:05 PM show of Sam Bahadur in 2023.
- He expected the movie to end by 6:30 PM so he could return to work.
- However, the film began at 4:30 PM after nearly 30 minutes of advertisements and trailers.
- He claimed this disrupted his schedule and caused mental agony.
Consumer Court Ruling
The consumer court upheld his complaint, stating that:
- “Time is money” and no one has the right to benefit from others’ time.
- Watching advertisements for 25–30 minutes is unfair for busy people with tight schedules.
- PVR and INOX engaged in an “unfair trade practice” by falsely advertising movie start times.
Compensation & Penalty
- ₹50,000 for wasting the complainant’s time.
- ₹5,000 for mental agony.
- ₹10,000 for legal expenses.
- ₹1 lakh penalty imposed on PVR and INOX, to be deposited in the consumer welfare fund within 30 days.
- BookMyShow was not held liable, as it is just a ticketing platform.
PVR & INOX’s Defense
- They argued they were legally obligated to screen Public Service Announcements (PSAs).
- The court clarified that PSAs must be within 10 minutes before the movie or during the interval.
This landmark case has sparked discussions about cinema chains’ advertising practices and transparency in India.
