Cinema exhibitor PVR INOX has announced plans to add around 200 new screens over the next two years, backed by an investment of ₹350–400 crore. According to Executive Director Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, the expansion will primarily focus on South India, followed by tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
100 Screens to Open in FY26
For the current financial year (2025–26), the company aims to launch 100 screens, out of which 20 have already opened in the first quarter. The remaining 80 are expected to be completed in the coming months.
Of these 100 screens, about 40 will be in South Indian cities such as Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Hubli. The rest will be spread across metros like Mumbai, Delhi, and Gurugram, as well as smaller cities including Siliguri, Jabalpur, Leh, and Gangtok. “About 40 per cent of our expansion is in South India, and around 20 per cent is in smaller towns,” Bijli said.
Plans in Place for FY27 Expansion
Looking ahead to FY27, PVR INOX has plans to add another 80–100 screens. Bijli mentioned that the visibility currently stands at 80 screens, with a similar regional focus: “Around 40 per cent of these will also be in South India.”
Investment Strategy and FOCO Model
The company estimates that each screen costs an average of ₹3.5 crore. For the 100 screens planned this year, the total cost would be around ₹350 crore. With half of the investment expected to come from franchise-owned company-operated (FOCO) and asset-light models, PVR INOX’s direct contribution will be approximately ₹175–200 crore.
Expanding this cost model across 200 screens, the overall investment is projected to be between ₹350 and ₹400 crore.
PVR INOX Nears 2,000 Screens Nationwide
Following the upcoming expansion, PVR INOX expects its total screen count to approach 2,000. A key part of this growth includes a new four-screen multiplex launching this week in Hyderabad, which will raise the company’s total screen count in Telangana to 110.
The state remains a top-performing region for PVR INOX, thanks to strong local content and high movie-watching interest. The company plans to add 26 more screens in Telangana during FY26.
Hyderabad and Telangana Remain Key Growth Markets
“Telangana is a very significant market. Telugu films are extremely loved and the propensity to watch films is very high,” said Bijli. He added that Hyderabad, despite being a mature market, still has underserved areas and unserviced catchments, making it a strategic location for continued expansion.
PVR INOX sees the city as a rapidly growing urban center and is eager to deepen its presence there as part of its broader southern India growth strategy.
