Cinema Lover’s Day offers cancelled last minute

Moviegoers who were anticipating lower ticket prices on April 19 to celebrate Cinema Lover’s Day had to pay the regular price for their movie tickets, as exhibitors decided to rollback offers. Sources reveal that in a last-minute move, the Multiplex Association of India decided to roll back the event. MAI officials refused to comment on the issue.
Raj Bansal, veteran cinema analyst and exhibitor, says, “In the past, we have seen a huge response to such days, be it Cinema Lover’s Day or National Cinema Day, which was celebrated across the country in October. We have observed how moviegoers book tickets and queue for even 4am shows. Promotions were already out on online booking platforms, but it was cancelled.” An exhibitor, who didn’t want to be named, tells us, “Last week saw the release of some big-budget films, but collections were below expectations. Therefore, organising Cinema Lover’s Day this Friday would have definitely affected collections. After discussions between exhibitors and producers, it was decided not to proceed with the Cinema Lover’s Day.”
Multiple Cinema Lover’s Days planned
There have been multiple Cinema Lover’s Day celebrations over the last year, including on January 20, 2023 and February 23, 2024. “After seeing the massive response to `99 or `75 tickets, cinemas planned to organise Cinema Lover’s Day at least once every month, but it was hindered by logistical issues. So, they decided to celebrate it every two-three months. After February 23, the plan was to celebrate it on April 19. Till the night of the 18th, it was on track, but it was shelved at the last minute,” says a source from a cinema chain.