PVR INOX to add 200 screens in two years with Rs 400 crore investment: Sanjeev Kumar Bijli

Cinema exhibition major PVR INOX plans to add around 200 new screens over the next two years, investing between Rs 350 and 400 crore in the expansion, Executive Director Sanjeev Kumar Bijli said in an interview with PTI on Wednesday.

The expansion strategy will primarily focus on South India, with significant growth also planned in smaller cities and towns.

“This financial year, 2025–26, we have about 100 screen openings planned, out of which we have opened about 20 already in the first quarter. We have another 82 to go. So basically, we are on track to open about 100 screens this year,” Bijli said.

Of these 100 new screens for FY26, around 40 will be in South India, in cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Hubli. The company is also expanding in major metros like Mumbai, Delhi, and Gurugram, and in tier-2 and tier-3 locations such as Siliguri, Jabalpur, Leh, and Gangtok.

“It is a bit of a mixed bag, but 40 per cent of this expansion still remains in South India, and about 20 per cent in smaller towns,” Bijli noted.

Looking further ahead to 2026–27, PVR INOX has visibility on 80 more screens planned so far, though Bijli said the number could stretch to about 100 screens depending on deals and timelines. Again, around 40 per cent of those screens are expected to be in South India.

On the investment required for this expansion, Bijli said the average cost of setting up a new screen is around Rs 3.5 crore.

“For this year, opening about 100 screens comes to about Rs 350 crore. If we assume that 50 per cent of that is coming from a combination of FOCO (franchise owned company operated) and asset-light models, then our direct contribution would be around Rs 175 to 200 crore,” he explained.

Across the planned 200 screens over two years, the company’s own investment will likely total Rs 350–400 crore.

After this expansion, PVR INOX expects its total screen count across India to approach 2,000.

As part of the push in South India, the company will open a four-screen multiplex this week in Hyderabad, which will take its total screen count in Telangana to 110. It has 26 new screens lined up for addition in the state in FY26.

“Telangana is a very significant market. It has always done very well for us because of the very strong content from Telangana. Telugu films are extremely loved and accepted. The propensity to watch movies there is very high,” Bijli said.

He also pointed out that Hyderabad, while a rapidly growing city, still has areas underserved by modern multiplexes.

“There are certain catchments which are unserviced,” he said to PTI. “We are excited about expanding into the city of Hyderabad, which is a growing city.”

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