India’s largest multiplex operators to merge, creating cinema giant

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India’s two largest multiplex firms said on Sunday they would merge to create a giant cinema operator with more than 1 500 screens across 109 cities as the entertainment industry recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

PVR and INOX Leisure said the merger, which is subject to regulatory approvals, would help both companies improve efficiency, reach newer markets and optimise cost.

“The film exhibition sector has been one of the worst impacted sectors on account of the pandemic and creating scale to achieve efficiencies is critical for the long-term survival of the business and fight the onslaught of digital OTT platforms,” PVR Chairman Ajay Bijli said in a press release.

Over-the-top (OTT) platforms such as Netflix, Amazon’s Prime Video and Disney have made deep inroads in India, where the pandemic ravaged a film industry known for song-and-dance spectacles watched by millions.

4 months ago