Brands
Cinépolis launches second Multiplex in Pune with IMAX Theatre
NEW DELHI: With the opening of the 8-screen multiplex at WESTEND Mall, Aundh in Pune, Cinépolis now has 246 screen in 38 cities across India.
The chain claims to be India’s first international and the world’s fourth largest movie theatre circuit.
The megaplex in Pune was inaugurated in the presence of internationally acclaimed actor Irrfan Khan along with Cinépolis India MD Javier Sotomayar. The recent launch is in line with the Mexican multiplex operator’s strategic vision of widening its pan-India footprint.
The new state-of-art multiplex has an IMAX theatre, Dolby Atmos, RealD 3D technology. Total seating capacity of the multiplex is 1369 and will have 40 shows daily.
The company already has a strong presence in the city, with its existing (India’s largest) megaplex, 15-screen property in Season mall, Pune.
With this launch, Cinépolis is opening the first IMAX theatre in the city of Pune. In addition, another auditorium in the complex is equipped with Dolby Atmos, which employs up to 64 speakers to heighten the realism of every scene. Patrons can also enjoy freshly-prepared gourmet food at the in-house coffee shop, Coffee Tree, in the lobby of Cinépolis.
Additionally, the state of the art 3-D technology from Real-D® systems is the world’s most widely deployed 3-D technology and offers viewers the most enthralling 3-D movie watching experience. Movie goers can also enjoy benefits of Club Cinépolis, the company’s loyalty programme at the theatre in WESTEND Mall.
Commenting on the launch Sotomayor said, “Cinépolis is committed to offering the best cinema experience to movie goers in India. We already have presence in Pune with India’s biggest multiplex at Seasons Mall and this technologically advanced multiplex with IMAX theatre, Dolby Atmos, RealD 3D will widen our presence in this city. On the back of this success, we aim to reach the 400-screen landmark by 2017.”
Speaking about the growth plans of Cinépolis, Director – Expansion Ashish Shukla said, “At Cinépolis, we have already expressed the vitality of Western India for our business development. We already have strong presence in Mumbai as well in Pune with 15 Screen Megaplex. With this opening our presence in Pune has increased to 23 Screens. We have more than 10 screen planned to be opened in city in couple of years helping in increasing our presence in the country.”
Director – Strategic Initiative Devang Sampat added, “At Cinépolis, our constant endeavour is to deliver unmatched levels of customer service. We have largest legroom in the industry, along with RealD 3D for best 3D movie experience. Patrons can also enjoy gourmet food offerings at Coffee Tree and benefit from the Cinépolis club membership, where movie goers can register for free and start accumulating reward points for every purchase made at the ticket counter.”
Suma Shilp Ltd MD Naralkar said, “We are very happy to partner with Cinépolis for our project. Cinépolis is one of the fastest growing cinema operators in India and overseas. The team has a very clear vision of consolidating its presence in India and is well focussed on its growth plan across India”.
Brands
TV bills on the rise: JioStar, Sony, and Zee crank up prices by 10 per cent
Broadcasters tune into higher tariffs as JioStar, Sony, and Zee reveal new prices
MUMBAI: If you were hoping for a cheaper night in front of the telly next year, you might want to look away from the remote. India’s broadcasting giants are flipping the script on pricing, with JioStar, Sony, and Zee all tuning into a new frequency of higher tariffs. Ahead of the 2026 financial year, the Big Three have released their updated Reference Interconnect Offers (RIOs), signalling a collective push that will see most monthly bills rise by roughly 10 per cent.
The synchronised move suggests that broadcasters are testing the price elasticity of their audience. In simpler terms, they are betting that your love for daily soaps and live sports is stronger than your annoyance at a slightly lighter wallet.
Sony is making a particularly bold play in the High Definition space. If you enjoy the crispness of Sony Entertainment Television HD or Sony SAB HD, your monthly bill for those channels will jump from 25 rupees to 30 rupees. The same 30-rupee price tag now applies to their sports heavyweights, including Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 2, Sony Sports Ten 3 Hindi, and Sony Sports Ten 5.
However, Sony is also expanding its horizons. Fans of regional content have new arrivals to look forward to, provided they are patient. Sony Sports Ten 4 Kannada is slated for an April 2026 debut, while Sony Vizha and Sony Vizha HD are expected by June. By August, Sony Telugu and Sony Telugu HD should be live. To keep customers sweet until then, Sony is offering “proportionate discounts.” For instance, the Happy India 2026 Smart Tamil bouquet, normally 42 rupees, will cost just 29.91 rupees until the new Vizha channel officially joins the party.
On the standard definition front, Sony is keeping its “strategic mass price” at 19 rupees for big hitters like Sony Max, Sony Marathi, and Sony Aath. Smaller channels see minor tweaks: Sony Max 2 is nudging up from 2 rupees to 3 rupees, while Sony Yay! sits at 6 rupees and Sony Max 1 remains at 5 rupees.
Zee Entertainment is also getting in on the act with a comprehensive 10 percent hike. Their flagship Standard Definition channels, such as Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee Marathi, Zee Bangla, Zee Sarthak, Zee Kannada, and Zee Tamil, are all locked in at 19 rupees. Interestingly, they have matched this 19-rupee price point for many of their HD versions too, including &TV and &Pictures.
For those who prefer the all-you-can-eat bouquet approach, Zee’s All-in-One Hindi SD pack has risen to 58 rupees. Their Marathi and Bangla packs are now 64 rupees, while the Southern trio of Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu SD packs will set you back 85 rupees. If you want those same Southern packs in glorious HD, the price climbs to a steeper 131 rupees. Zee is also shuffling its deck by exiting English entertainment but entering the sports arena, with Zee Cafe and &flix seeing price adjustments to 7 and 8 rupees respectively.
JioStar is perhaps the most aggressive of the bunch when it comes to regional favourites. While they have kept core Hindi staples like Star Plus, Colors, and Star Gold at 19 rupees, they have pushed premium regional channels like Asianet, Colors Kannada, Vijay TV, and Maa TV up to 30 rupees. This move is significant because any channel priced over 19 rupees cannot be included in a discounted bouquet, meaning fans of these channels will have to buy them separately, potentially driving up the total cost of a monthly subscription.
Even the youngsters aren’t spared, with kids’ favourites like Nick SD and Nick HD+ now priced at 19 rupees. As we head towards April 2026, the ball is now in the court of the cable and dish operators. They must decide how much of these increases they can swallow and how much they will pass on to the person holding the remote. For the average viewer, the message is clear: premium content is getting a premium price tag.
