Dodona Research in the UK specialises in studying the cinemagoing habit of various countries. Here’s a couple of titbits from their India 2009 report:
- The often quoted stat that 4 billion cinema tickets are sold each year in India is likely very inflated – the accurate figure is probably around 1.5 billion.
- At the end of 2002 there were 80 multiplex screens, now there are over 1250. This year there will be around 190 million admissions.
- While multiplexes are booming, traditional single screens are rapidly closing. The time delay in moving prints from the multiplexes in cities to the single screen theatres in rural areas allows pirates to make copies available before the film releases – stealing much of the audience. Over 3000 screens have closed in the last 7 years. There are currently approximately 7,600 screens operating which will this year sell around 1.4 billion tickets.
- Average ticket cost at a multiplex is Rs.88. (This sounds a bit low to me? i have visited multiplexes in smaller towns and they typically seem to charge Rs.70 – 100. In bigger cities the ticket price is easily Rs.120-250.)
- In 2007, Multiplexes accounted for less than 30% of total box office takings. By 2012 this figure will be over 50%. However, 75% of tickets sold will be for single screen theatres.
The development of the Indian cinema industry is matching the pattern followed by other countries:
- Cinema is changing from mass audience entertainment to focus on a smaller, middle-class demographic
- Audience taste is gradually shifting to more sophisticated, international films
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