11-screen delight for movie buffs

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11-screen delight for movie buffs
India’s Largest Multiplex Opens In Bangalore

Times of India

Bangalore: One more first for Bangalore, the young city with a go-go crowd: an 11-screen multiplex, India’s largest, which opened on Friday at the Forum Mall in Koramangala.

It is no experiment — PVR Cinemas chose the city with great deliberation. Why Bangalore?
The 11 screens are reasonable considering Bangalore is cosmopolitan. It has the largest proportion of movie-going population. 3 million movie buffs visit theatres at an average 12 times a year.

Bangalore’s cineastes are by far the most passionate, with Hyderabad coming a close second, feels PVR Cinemas managing director Ajjay Bijli.

So PVR wants to redefine moviegoing here. While its 11 theatres will screen Kannada, regional, Hindi and global cinema — 18 movies every day — the viewer has a choice of auditoriums to suit budget and taste.

The Gold Class is a class apart. The two 32-seater auditoriums are lavish — plush reclining seats separated by tables for personalised service. Cost: Rs 500 per ticket, including Rs 150 for food and beverages.

The state-of-the-art multiplex was inaugurated by chief minister N. Dharam Singh. Despite the sticky problems faced by the Kannada film industry, the CM sounded upbeat. “I am happy that a multiplex of such a large proportion has come up in Bangalore, but give a fair amount of importance to screen Kannada movies,’’ he said, quick to add that the government would always stand by the Kannada film industry.

Which was seconded by Bijli, who said the multiplex would abide by the moratorium and support the state’s policy on films.

The multiplex opens to the public on Saturday.

WIDE ANGLE
Gold Class auditoriums a new concept.

Cinema Europa: 2 luxury auditoriums, seating capacity 372. Price: Rs 150 before 5 pm on weekdays, Rs 175 after 5 pm and on weekends. ‘Europa Lounge ’ includes bar and restaurant.

Classic: 7 auditoriums. Price: Rs 100 before 5 pm, Rs 130 after 5 pm and during weekends, Rs 60 for Kannada movies, Rs 80 for other regional movies.

Total seating capacity: 2,019