Movies
Consumer court fines PVR Inox; orders it to mention actual movie start times on ticket
MUMBAI: Theatre goers can now decide if they would like to skip the smattering of ads that confront them when they enter a cinema hall before the movie starts. A Bengaluru consumer court has ordered PVR Inox to mention the time when a film will finally roll on the screen on tickets that are issued to consumers at the time of booking. Whether this will extend to all cinema halls and whether PVR Inox will appeal against this ruling only time will tell.
Be that as it may, PVR Inox also got a financial rap on the knuckles from the same court as a reminder that moviegoers pay for films, not a barrage of ads. A Bengaluru consumer court has ordered the multiplex giant to cough up Rs 1 lakh in punitive damages after a customer’s screening was delayed by 25 minutes due to excessive advertising.
The case stemmed from a December 2023 screening of Sam Bahadur at 4:05 pm, which, to the frustration of ticket holders, actually started at 4:30 pm. The plaintiff, a Bengaluru resident, sued the cinema chain for misleading audiences and wasting their time. The court agreed, branding the delay an ‘unfair trade practice’ and instructing PVR Inox to display accurate movie start times on tickets instead of ad-heavy schedules.
In addition to the Rs 1 lakh fine, the complainant was awarded Rs 20,000 for mental agony and Rs 8,000 in legal expenses. The ruling signals a strong pushback against multiplexes prioritising ad revenue over audience experience.
PVR Inox attempted to justify the prolonged advertising, arguing that ads help latecomers settle in and that government-mandated public service announcements (PSAs) are a legal requirement. The court, however, dismissed this defence, ruling that PSAs should not exceed 10 minutes and that subjecting audiences to 25-30 minutes of commercials was unjust.
Adding an interesting twist, the multiplex argued that the complainant’s act of recording the delay violated piracy laws. The court dismissed the claim, ruling that the footage served a legitimate purpose in exposing an issue that plagues moviegoers nationwide.
With this ruling, multiplexes may have to rethink their ad-heavy screenings. For audiences, the decision reinforces the expectation that they are paying for movies, not marketing. Whether PVR Inox and other cinema chains will amend their practices remains to be seen, but for now, Bengaluru’s consumer court has delivered a long-awaited blockbuster verdict.
(Cited from Indian Express)
Hollywood
Iger’s final act: Disney boss wraps up epic saga with a new captain at the helm
After 15 turbulent years, two stints in the c-suite, and billions spent on blockbuster acquisitions, Bob Iger is stepping away from the Magic Kingdom.
CALIFORNIA: The 75-year-old chief, hailed as one of the most transformative leaders in modern media, officially hands over to former parks chief Josh D’Amaro on 18 March. And this time, he’s getting the succession right.
Iger’s legacy glitters with big bets and epic wins: the $7.4bn Pixar buy, $4bn Marvel swoop, and the colossal $71bn 21st Century Fox deal. He dragged Disney into the streaming age, fought off activist investor Nelson Peltz, and saw off a political scrap with Florida governor Ron DeSantis.
But it hasn’t all been pixie dust. The forced return of Iger in 2022—after the short, shaky reign of successor Bob Chapek—tarnished an otherwise stellar run.
Now, D’Amaro takes the wheel with a streamlined leadership team and Disney firing on all cylinders. The firm’s streaming business is in the black, theme-park attendance is soaring, and five global films have hit $1billion at the box office in the past two years. Not bad for a firm that was on the ropes just months ago.
D’Amaro’s first move? A slick reorg under new president and chief creative officer Dana Walden, folding film, tv, streaming and gaming into one punchy unit. Sean Shoptaw, heading up the gaming division, now reports directly to Walden—bringing Fortnite and Epic Games collaborations closer to Disney’s creative heart.
Iger isn’t sailing off into the sunset just yet. He’ll keep busy with Angel City FC, the women’s football club he owns with his wife. And as Ann Mooney Murphy of Stevens Institute predicts: “A guy like that never truly retires.”
One era ends. Another begins. And the House of Mouse bets big on a future beyond the king.
