The difference in movie ticket prices around the country

Picodi.com decided to look into prices of 2D and 3D movie screenings, as well as weekday and weekend sessions, in various Indian cities.

Since 1896, when Lumière brothers demonstrated their ‘motion pictures’ in India, cinema has played the role of mass entertainment. It has become a medium for communication and entertainment, often addressing issues of Indian society. Right now, India produces the most number of movies in the world in over 20 languages.

However, this report by Picodi.com focuses on how cinema affects finances. Firstly, we checked the difference in prices between 2D and 3D screenings. Secondly, we compared ticket prices on weekdays and weekends.

Expensive accessory

In most cities analysed by Picodi, with the exception of Patna, 3D sessions cost more than 2D sessions.. Many cinemas move away from handing out the glasses before every movie. In some places, customers can buy glasses or bring their own from the last 3D screening they had watched. By the way, the cost of purchasing such glasses in a cinema can be even five times higher than the wholesale price.

In some cities, the difference in 2D and 3D movie prices can exceed 50%. For example, in Thiruvananthapuram, watching a movie in 3D is 73% more expensive than a standard session.

We noted a similar high charge for 3D screenings in Gandhinagar (52%), Dehradun (50%), Mumbai (44%), and Chandigarh (43%).

The least amount of money to pay for watching your favourite actors on a 3D screen was noted in Shimla and Bhopal (6% each). In some cities, like Agartala or Dimapur, there were no 3D screenings, which made the prices comparison impossible.

When it comes to the prices of standard movie tickets, cinema tickets are the most expensive in Patna and Bengaluru (the prices of 2D weekend screening being ₹250 and ₹230 respectively). On the other hand, the most affordable cinemas can be found in Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai (₹75 and ₹64).

Movie date on the weekend… or not?

In the film industry, the popularity of different movies is measured mostly by turnout and box office on opening weekends. Data from different cinemas in India and around the world confirm that most people go to the cinema during the weekends — it is when 55%-65% of all tickets are sold.

In many cities, cinema lovers have nothing to worry about — there is no additional charge for weekend screenings. In places like Guwahati or Patna, the price stays the same on weekdays and weekends. However, some places, like Kolkata or Bhopal, charge even 45% more for weekend sessions.

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Methodology

The prices are taken from official websites of cinema chains. In this report, independent cinemas, premiere screenings and every other promotional ticket sales are excluded. The research is based on standard evening screenings of titles available in July 2019.

Public Use

All the data and infographics presented in this report can be freely used for both commercial and non-commercial purposes as long as you indicate the author of the research (Picodi.com) with a link to this subpage. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us: research@picodi.com.