Flexible ticket pricing revives midweek cinema visits, but there’s a catch
Lower weekday pricing has succeeded in attracting more audiences. Does this signal the need for further ticket price rationalization?
NEW DELHI : Audiences are lapping up weekly ticket offers priced as low as ₹99, at least for films with strong word-of-mouth, providing a stamp of approval for the idea that reasonable pricing can lure large segments back to cinemas.
Multiplex chains and independent theatres that introduced weekly offers such as “Blockbuster Tuesdays" in 2025 recorded higher-than-usual footfalls, especially for mid-budget, non-star titles.
However, these offers haven’t helped films that had little going for them to begin with, reinforcing the view that content must sell itself.
“Blockbuster Tuesdays was introduced to revive and strengthen mid-week theatrical attendance. Through compelling, value-led ticket pricing, the initiative has successfully encouraged audiences to return to cinemas beyond weekends," said Gautam Dutta, chief executive, revenue and operations, PVR INOX Ltd, India's largest multiplex chain.
Dutta added that the initiative has emerged as a key driver of weekday footfalls, helping sustain film momentum through the week, and may have clocked approximately 22.5 million footfalls by the end of 2025, reflecting strong consumer resonance across markets.
Devang Sampat, the managing director of India's second-largest multiplex chain Cinépolis India, said, for the chain, the share of Tuesday admissions has increased from 9-10% to 15-16% of weekly footfalls.
“We are reaching viewers who may not have been regular moviegoers. While per-user revenue is lower due to reduced ticket prices and corresponding food and beverage (F&B) spending, absolute revenue has grown because the volume increase more than compensates. The goal was always to widen the moviegoing habit, and the data suggests that is happening," Sampat added.
The challenge
That said, the challenge is sustainability, according to Sampat. Pricing initiatives are most effective when they expand the audience base rather than shifting existing viewers to lower-priced days.
It is also worth noting that pricing is not uniform. It varies based on the film, the format, demand, and location. A premium format screening of a tentpole release in a metro will be priced differently from a weekday show of a mid-budget film in a tier-two city.
Without doubt, the weekly initiative has strengthened the case for flexible pricing, according to Bhuvanesh Mendiratta, managing director, Miraj Entertainment Ltd, which operates multiple theatres.
He said families, students, and regular moviegoers who earlier preferred weekends are now visiting cinemas mid-week as well. The feedback has been positive because audiences see it as a value day, not just a discount.
“It also gives exhibitors confidence to explore similar pricing options on non-peak days, without affecting the premium nature of weekends and large formats," Mendiratta said, adding that content remains the biggest factor, as the even lower pricing works the best when there are strong, mass-appeal films in theatres.
“The pricing strategy doesn’t really sway viewers or increase occupancy significantly when the film hasn’t found a draw over the opening weekend," said Rahul Puri, managing director, Mukta Arts and Mukta A2 Cinemas.
During slower weeks, sustaining momentum can be challenging. There is also a need to ensure audiences don’t start postponing their visits only for discounted days, which requires careful pricing balance and coordination with distributors, said Mendiratta.
Nonetheless, the experiment has taught cinema owners that they must be nimble with pricing, as rigid rates do not benefit anyone, possibly paving the way for more innovation in this area in 2026.
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