MAM
Covid2019 pushes PVR into the red in Q2
NEW DELHI: Multiplex chain PVR closed the quarter ended 30 September 2020 in the red with a net loss of Rs 184 crore, as compared to profit of Rs 48 crores during the corresponding period of last year. This comes as no surprise, considering that cinemas were shut all over the country for the better part of the year under government directives to check the spread of Covid2019.
The consolidated revenues for the quarter were Rs 111 crore as compared to Rs 979 crore during the corresponding period of last year. Consolidated EBITDA loss for the quarter was Rs 14 crore as against a positive EBITDA of Rs 324 crore in the same period last year.
The company clarified that results for Q2 are not comparable with last year’s results due to temporary closures of cinemas and suspension of operations impacting the business.
The multiplex group has initiated a series of short-term and long-term measures to aggressively control costs as well as augment liquidity. It further strengthened its cost control measures resulting in 71 per cent savings YoY in total fixed costs excluding rent and CAM.
Monthly fixed cost excluding rent and CAM dropped to Rs 24 crore in the quarter as against Rs 86 crore in Q2 FY20. PVR is in active engagement with its developer partners for discussions on rent and CAM and so far settlements have been reached for more than 60 per cent of cinemas offering PVR complete rent waiver for lockdown period and significant discounts on rent post reopening.
Discussions with balance developers are in progress and are expected to close once cinemas are allowed to reopen in those states.
MHA has, in its Unlock 5.0 guidelines, allowed cinemas to reopen from 15 October onwards with 50 per cent capacity. So far, 16 states and UTs, where PVR has presence, have permitted cinemas to restart operations. Out of total 831 screens of the company 575+ have received permission to reopen. PVR is welcoming back its patrons with several celebratory promotions and offers, opportunity for private screenings, film festivals and a fresh new menu to make the movie watching experience truly delightful.
PVR MD & chairman Ajay Bijli said, “I am extremely pleased to report that most of our cinemas, which had shut down due to the pandemic in March have been allowed to reopen. We are eagerly waiting for re-opening of other states, specifically Maharashtra and Telangana, so that business can gradually get back to normal. We are taking all possible precautions so that both our customers and employees feel safe while visiting their favourite cinema. Many of our patrons have responded positively and we’re fully prepared to give them the same immersive movie viewing experience the way we had done before. We are hopeful that once the new content is released the business will gradually recover.”
Brands
Tata Consumer Products highlights workplace bias with no repeat campaign
Women often repeat ideas to be heard; Tata campaign spotlights bias
MUMBAI: In many offices, a familiar moment unfolds. A woman shares an idea in a meeting. The room nods politely, then moves on. A few minutes later, someone else repeats the same thought and suddenly it lands.
This International Women’s Day, Tata Consumer Products is drawing attention to that quiet but persistent workplace dynamic through TheNoRepeatCampaign, an initiative that highlights how often women must repeat themselves before their ideas are acknowledged.
Conceptualised by Schbang, the campaign centres on a mockumentary-style film featuring a corporate employee known simply as “Doobara”, which literally means “again”. The character symbolises the many women across workplaces who find themselves restating their ideas during meetings, brainstorms and presentations before they receive recognition.
The campaign is grounded in research that reflects a broader workplace pattern. According to McKinsey & Company’s Women in the Workplace 2024 report, 39 percent of women say they are interrupted or spoken over in professional settings. Research by Perceptyx in 2022 adds to that picture, with 19 percent of women reporting frequent interruptions and 42 percent saying it happens at least sometimes.
Tata Consumer Products head of corporate communications and investor relations Nidhi Verma, said the campaign aims to bring a commonly experienced but rarely discussed bias into the open.
“Workplaces thrive when every voice is heard the first time it speaks. With #TheNoRepeatCampaign, we wanted to shine a light on a bias that many women experience but rarely gets called out openly. By encouraging teams to listen more consciously and acknowledge ideas fairly, we hope to create environments where contributions are valued for their merit, not the number of times they need to be repeated,” she said.
The film cleverly mirrors the very behaviour it critiques. Through deliberate repetition in the storytelling, viewers experience the subtle frustration of having a point overlooked until someone else echoes it back to the room.
The initiative also ties into Tata Consumer Products’ internal SpeakUp culture, which encourages employees to share ideas and feedback openly while emphasising the shared responsibility of listening and acknowledging contributions.
Schbang president of solutions Jitto George, said the insight behind the campaign came from everyday workplace observations.
“The insight was simple but powerful. Many women have experienced moments where their ideas gain traction only after someone else repeats them. We wanted the storytelling to reflect that reality in a way that feels relatable, slightly uncomfortable and difficult to ignore. The mockumentary format helped capture that everyday dynamic while prompting viewers to rethink how conversations unfold in their own workplaces,” he said.
Aligned with International Women’s Day 2026’s theme, “Give To Gain”, the campaign underlines a simple message. When organisations give attention, acknowledgement and visibility to women’s voices, the entire workplace benefits.
After all, when good ideas are heard the first time, they do not need a second attempt.
