In brief
The cost of movie tickets in India has significantly increased by 47% over the last five years, with an average ticket now costing 134 rupees. This surge in prices has prompted a shift in audience behavior; many are opting for cheaper streaming alternatives. However, multiplex owners claim that the quality of the cinema experience justifies higher prices and they continue to attract large audiences. Debates on potential price regulation and the future of traditional theaters versus streaming services remain ongoing.
Sahil Arora, 20, had been eagerly waiting to watch the latest Bollywood release starring his favourite actor.
But going to the theatre set him back considerably - a seat at a Delhi multiplex cost 500 rupees ($6; £4), nearly a third of his weekly pocket money.
I enjoyed the movie, but the price was a sore point, he said. Popcorn was another 500 rupees, so I skipped it.
He's not alone. Rising ticket and snack prices mean moviegoers are cutting down on their trips to cinema and moving towards cheaper streaming options.
Harsh Verma, 38, looks back on a time when going to the movies didn't feel like a luxury.
Some 15 years ago, my friends and I would go and watch every new release, sometimes every week. That has now become impossible.
In the past five years, data shows that the average cost of a film ticket in India has risen by 47%.
The Average Ticket Price (ATP) in 2020 was 91 rupees, while in 2024 it rose to 134, according to audience research firm Ormax media. However, between 2023 and 2024 there was only a 3% rise in the ATP - suggesting that the prices have stabilized.
The report adds that footfall in Indian cinemas has reduced by 6% in 2024 as compared to 2023, continuing a trend in recent years.
One of the main reasons why going to movies has become expensive is because single-screen theatres that offered cheaper tickets have now been mostly replaced by plush multi-screen cinemas that offer a host of amenities.
But multiplex owners argue that ticket prices are reasonable and that audiences continue to visit in large numbers.
Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, executive director of multiplex chain PVR INOX Limited which owns more than 1,500 screens across India, told the BBC that the perception that people have stopped going to theatres is 'a general notion squeezed in without fact-checking'.
Mr Bijli acknowledges receiving some feedback about high ticket prices, but says that audiences continue to turn up because they get 'value for money' - provided a film is good.
Some Indian states have, however, also placed a cap on ticket prices, sparking a debate on whether this needs to be a nationwide regulation.
Industry experts believe that while lower prices could attract more audiences, owners must retain the freedom to keep their businesses profitable.
But the competition from streaming services looms large as viewers accustomed to at-home comforts are weighing their cinematic experiences carefully.
