Indian Court Fines Theatre for Wasting Moviegoer’s Time with Lengthy Ads

In a landmark ruling, a consumer court in India has directed major cinema chains PVR Cinemas and INOX to compensate a man Rs 65,000 after he sued them for causing “mental agony” by running excessive advertisements before a movie screening. The court also imposed a Rs 1 lakh penalty on the multiplex operators, emphasizing that “time is considered as money” and that moviegoers should not be forced to endure prolonged commercial breaks.

Man Sues Cinemas for Wasting 25 Minutes

The complainant, Abhishek MR, booked three tickets via the online platform BookMyShow for the movie Sam Bahadur in 2023 in Bengaluru City. The screening was scheduled for 4:05 PM, with an expected conclusion by 6:30 PM, allowing him to return to work. However, to his frustration, the film commenced at 4:30 PM—after nearly 25 minutes of advertisements and trailers.

Abhishek argued that this delay disrupted his schedule, causing financial and professional losses. “The complainant could not attend other arrangements and appointments which were scheduled for the day, has faced losses which cannot be calculated in terms of money as a compensation,” his complaint stated. He contended that misleading show timings amounted to an “unfair trade practice,” as cinemas leveraged false scheduling to extract additional advertising revenue.

Consumer Court Slams Theatres, Orders Compensation

After reviewing the case, the court ruled that multiplex operators had misled audiences and violated consumer rights. It ordered PVR Cinemas and INOX to pay:

• About $830 (INR 50,000) for engaging in unfair trade practices.
• About $83 (INR 5,000) for causing mental distress.
• About $166 (INR 10,000) for legal expenses incurred in filing the complaint.

Additionally, the court imposed a $1,660 (INR 100,000 lakh) penalty on PVR Cinemas and INOX, instructing them to deposit the amount in the consumer welfare fund within 30 days.

Court’s Stand: “No One Has the Right to Profit from Others’ Time”

In its February 15 ruling, the consumer court emphasized that prolonged pre-movie advertisements were unjustified. “No one has the right to gain benefit out of others’ time and money,” the court stated, adding that “25-30 minutes is not a small duration to sit idle in a theatre and watch whatever the theatre telecasts.”

The court further noted that for individuals with tight schedules, forced exposure to advertisements was unfair.

Cinemas Cite Legal Obligations, Court Dismisses Justification

Defending their actions, PVR Cinemas and INOX argued that they were legally required to air Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for public awareness. However, the court clarified that such messages should be confined to 10 minutes before a movie and during the intermission.

BookMyShow, the online ticketing platform, was exempted from liability, as the court ruled that it had no control over the duration of pre-screening advertisements.

Impact of the Verdict

This ruling sets a precedent for consumer rights in India, particularly for moviegoers who often face similar issues. With multiplexes frequently stretching pre-screening ads to maximize advertising revenue, the decision may prompt stricter adherence to fair scheduling practices.

For now, Abhishek MR’s victory serves as a significant reminder that consumers have the right to demand transparency and accountability from service providers.