PVR INOX's Ajay Bijli Opens International Day at CinemaCon 2023

2022 alone. And also, as is widely known, we’ve got the largest number of millennials and Gen Z on the planet. 65% of Indians are under the age of 35. And of course, we are a movie crazy nation.

Ajay Bijli becomes the First Indian Film Industry delegate to be invited to deliver the Keynote address in CinemaCon’s 11 year’s history. For someone who created the multiplex industry in India 25 years back, Ajay Bijli is strengthening and creating scale to the film exhibition industry. Through his critical experience of mobilizing content producers, mall developers, studios and cinema technology makers, Ajay has been able to create a conduit between consumers and film industry on one hand and the other with the retail industry and real estate development.

In his own words, “I understand this is the first time an Indian exhibitor has been invited, so I’m truly humbled and honoured. In these 15 minutes, I would like to cover as much as I can on the global trends, my own two big suggestions on what collectively needs to be done to resuscitate the exhibition sector and also to introduce India and the craziness of the Indian movie landscape. Let me start with India first. We are the world’s largest democracy with a population of 1.4 billion people. We are the fifth largest economy at USD 3.5 trillion and growing at a rapid pace of over 6%. The Indian consumer is spending a lot across USD 300 billion in the last quarter of

Now that I’ve given you the spicy flavour of India, let me just talk about the global exhibition as it stands today. So far, the trend has been very promising. For example, the number of new releases already have increased by 36% 89 to 121. And the number of wide releases have increased by 12% from 16 to 18 in the first quarter since last year. And over the years in spite of all the technologies and out of the home entertainment options, cinema has always grown. Pre - COVID global box office had exceeded USD 40 billion for three consecutive years. While we’re nowhere near the pre COVID levels, we are heading in the right direction, with 81% year on year increase in global box office in 2021 and a 22% year on year increase in 2022. The start of the current year has also been very promising. We recorded the best first quarter since 2019. And ended up with USD 8 billion global box office within the first three months but of course a lot needs to be further done. he said.

We can attribute this to many factors. For example, premium experiences are back and IMAX having the best first quarter in its history. The big is getting bigger, big blockbusters are continuing to dominate with films like ‘Avatar 2’, ‘Top Gun Maverick’ and ‘Wakanda Forever’ making global and local marks in the box office. The same thing is reciprocated in our country as well, in fact post covid regional films like ‘RRR’, Hollywood’s ‘Avatar 2’, Bollywood’s ‘Pathaan’ have broken alltime box-office records surpassing what they had even achieved pre- covid. It just goes to show that once the movie connects with the audiences, there is no upper ceiling to how well it can perform. Blockbusters are working and so are midsized films. Several movies released last year also broke the myth that midsize movies are not performing well post pandemic. The bottom line is, we all have reasons to remain optimistic.

If you will indulge me a little bit I am going to talk a little bit about my own company. We launched PVR cinemas in 1997. Our philosophy has always been to celebrate movies as you know in India moviegoing is a celebration. Our Key pillars have always been Design to begin with. We want to completely transport our audiences from the moment they open our doors to our foyers, to the concession stands to the auditoriums and take them to the world of make believe. I mean movies transport you to another world. And we wanted the world that we’ve created as well is as close to what is unfolding on the screen. We are also offering a range of premium seating solutions with formats including IMAX, 4DX, ICE. All differentiated cinema concepts. India is a very disparate market, and we have consumers at different price points coming to cinemas. So, we’ve tried to provide them with a truly elevated experience, right from a ticket price as low as USD 2 to as high as USD 20.

We are now the fifth largest listed multiplex chain globally attracting around 180 million annual admissions with revenues of USD 700 million annually. We currently operate approximately 1700 screens in 115 cities in India and Sri Lanka and we’re also very proud to have the highest admissions per screen per year of about 1,26,000 customers.

Let me start with the exhibitors first. I think we need to adapt ourselves to the ever-changing landscape and the consumer behaviour. We need to make cinemas more relevant. With all the experimentation behind us, a theatrical window must stay. Windows have existed for decades; studios have created events around IP and made it more valuable. We need to maintain the monetisation journey that’s always been there of content. Increasing window further is not a thought that we should shy away from.

Despite everything I’ve said about the roles that all of us have to play, the most important thing that gives us a lot of hope is this quote by Aristotle that a man is, by nature a social animal. I heard a phrase in one of the previous speeches that if content is king, cinema is the kingdom. But the real king is the customer, and a customer wants to go out. He doesn’t want to be incarcerated at home especially after the pandemic and he will always commit himself to the big experience. Therefore, it’s important for us to remain optimistic and keep our chins up and do all that it takes to get him back to the magic of big screen because we all love to experience to celebrate this togetherness called cinema.”

Galalite Sets New Standard for Environmental Responsibility in Industry

Galalite, the pioneering manufacturer of cinema projection screen surfaces, has been at the forefront of innovation and technology for over six decades. At the beginning of the year, the company has taken a step towards reducing its carbon footprint and improving sustainability by investing in an 'Air and Water Pollution Control' system in their plant.

During the production of Avatar, Galalite's factory operated around the clock to meet the demand. Following the success of the film, they temporarily closed the plant to undergo significant upgrades. For a period of two weeks, the factory was closed while they successfully commissioned and installed a wet scrubber system. A wet scrubber is a mechanical system that removes pollutants from an air stream by bringing it in contact with water. Wet scrubbers are generally the only single air pollution control device to remove particulates and gases/vapours. They are highly efficient at capturing the smallest dust particles and can eliminate more than 99% of airborne particulate matter. Galalite redirects the cleaned air back into the plant to reduce the environmental impact further and make it into a zeroemission plant.

Yusuf Galabhaiwala, Director of Operations at Galalite, says, "We believe in doing our part to create a cleaner, more sustainable world. Although this was a major investment, we didn't hesitate to invest in this system, even if it meant temporarily shutting down our plant although the markets had just bounced back. It was worth it to know that we're doing our best to protect the environment."

Galalite has been committed to using eco-friendly water-based coatings since 2009 and was one of the first companies to adopt such sustainable practices.

Water-based optical coatings are eco-friendly and have low VOC levels and HAP emissions, reducing the concentration of contaminants in the ozone layer.

Galalite has always believed in constantly upgrading its technology and processes, and this new development of installing a scrubber is no exception. Galalite has also slated other upgrades and initiatives that further reinforce its commitment to innovation while being sustainable. The company plans to launch new products in the near future that will enhance and upgrade the moviewatching experience while being environmentally friendly.

Saikat Ali, Production Head at Galalite, added, "Upgrading is constant at Galalite. We are excited about the new products we will soon launch, and we are confident that they will further elevate the movie-watching experience. As always, we will continue to innovate and take a responsible approach toward the environment."

With these initiatives, Galalite hopes to set an example for the industry and inspire others to adopt sustainable practices. Galalite's commitment to sustainability and the environment is commendable, and it is a prime example of how businesses can innovate while keeping the planet in mind. With its cutting-edge technology, innovative products, and eco-friendly approach, Galalite is a true leader in the cinema screen industry.