Latest news with #PictureTime
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Vicky, Rashmika's 'Chhaava' screened at first inflatable cinema hall at Gadchiroli
Stars , Rashmika Mandanna and Akshaye Khanna's film 'Chhaava' screened at Maharashtra's remote tribal district of Gadchiroli in an inflatable cinema hall. Pioneering mobile theatre company PictureTime's inflatable cinema hall, had its launch last evening with 'Chhaava' as its flagship film. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Based on the life of Sambhaji Maharaj, filmmaker Laxman Utekar's Dinesh Vijan-produced 'Chhaava' served as the perfect film to encourage footfalls and cinema viewing culture in the region. Gadchiroli, one of the remotest districts in Maharashtra with a population of Rs 10 lakh, is in for a cinematic treat as PictureTime's state-of-the-art theatre boasts an AC screening room, 5.1 Dolby Sound, 120 push-back chairs, and digital projection. With 90 per cent of the area being rural, ticket prices have been fixed at a pocket-friendly Rs 150. After the grand inauguration on May 22 evening, which was graced by Milindji Narote, MLA, Gadchiroli Assembly Constituency, Avishyant Panda, I.A.S, Collector, Gadchiroli District, Prashantji Waghare, BJP Zilha Adhyaksh, Surajit Roy, COO & President, Picturetime among other dignitaries. The cinema hall will switch to regular programming from Friday, with the screening of two films, Ata Thambaycha Naay (Marathi) and Suniel Shetty starrer Kesari Veer (Hindi). "At Picturetime, our mission has always been to democratize cinema by taking it to the remotest corners of India - places where the magic of the big screen has long remained out of reach," said Sushil Chaudhary, Founder & CEO, Picturetime. "The launch of our inflatable theatre in Gadhchiroli, Maharashtra, with the screening of Chhaava, and our recent expansion into Bommidi, Tamil Nadu, mark important milestones in this journey. We believe that access to cinema is not just about entertainment - it's about inclusion, inspiration, and creating shared cultural experiences for every Indian, no matter where they live," he added. PictureTime has previously set up cinemas in Ladakh, Kishtwar, Asifabad, Bapatla and Nagaur, and Khatima.
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First Post
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
Firstpost at Waves 2025: Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan's suggestion of cheaper cinemas has a solution; New age exhibitor Sushil Chaudhary reveals how 'Pathaan', 'Gadar 2', 'Jawan' broke records in remote
At the ongoing WAVES 2025 summit, Chaudhary was part of the panel discussion 'Decline in the Theatrical Industry and Sparse Cinema Distribution', where he reflected on the need to mount more cinemas and how he runs a model of setting up inflatable theatres in remote regions, where people have no access to movies. read more Days after superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan suggested building more theatres and offering cheaper ticket rates to the audience, new age exhibitor Sushil Chaudhary says the Indian theatrical ecosystem can be revived by focusing on making cinemas more 'accessible and affordable,' like what he does with his mobile digital movie theatre company, PictureTime. At the ongoing WAVES 2025 summit, Chaudhary was part of the panel discussion 'Decline in the Theatrical Industry and Sparse Cinema Distribution', where he reflected on the need to mount more cinemas and how he runs a model of setting up inflatable theatres in remote regions, where people have no access to movies. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I was happy to hear what Shah Rukh said regarding the need for more cinemas and cheaper tickets. Cinema is all about affordability, accessibility, and entertainment. After roti, kapda, makaan, cinema is the basic need. When we build our cinema, the focus is on keeping the capital cost under RS 1 crore and operational cost under RS 2 lakhs,' Chaudhary, founder & CEO of Picturetime, said. Chaudhary revealed how he innovatively screened Kabir Khan's 83 in Ladakh during the pandemic, drawing audiences despite 50% occupancy limits. Similarly, in Bommidi, a small town in Tamil Nadu, he set up a screen showcasing Vikram's Veera Dheera Sooran, which now boasts over 56% occupancy, highlighting the enduring appeal of cinema. 'Movies like Pathaan, Gadar 2 and Jawan did very well in our screens in remote regions. Especially Gadar 2, which wasn't promoted that much, but we had more than Rs 5 lakh collection every week from a 140-seater screen. The audience is willing to come. Like in Telangana's Asifabad, which didn't have a cinema hall for over three decades, we installed one during SS Rajamoui's RRR and today the average occupancy there is 30 percent. As Shah Rukh said, we need cheaper cinemas so that people can access our films. Disruption can happen then,' he added. During the panel discussion, which was hosted by actor-filmmaker Vivek Vaswani, Chaudhary also highlighted the need for 'clever programming' and answered why exhibitors often screen old films or are eager to showcase a re-release movie. 'The reason cinema hall owners like us screen old films is that the current distribution system is dated. We are forced to run one movie under multiple conditions, even if the film is not attracting the audience. So, clever programming is an answer. We re-release old films to optimise revenue. In interiors, I have seen that viewers watch a film as many as 40 times. Are we catering to them? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Between 80s and 90s, we had 18,000 cinema screens and 21,000 were running licenses, but then there was a decline. Filmmakers also need to address how to avoid piracy, because every year we lose 3 billion dollars due to piracy. The big issues remain accessibility, affordability and outreach,' he added.
