A Bengaluru resident has won Rs 65,000 in compensation after successfully suing PVR Cinemas, INOX, and BookMyShow for delaying a movie screening with excessive advertisements. The consumer court ruled in his favor, calling the practice an "unfair trade practice" and emphasizing that "time is money."

The Complaint

Abhishek MR had booked tickets to watch Sam Bahadur at 4:05 PM in 2023. However, the film started only at 4:30 PM due to nearly 30 minutes of advertisements and trailers. He argued that the delay disrupted his schedule, causing him to miss important commitments. His complaint accused the multiplexes of misleading customers with incorrect showtimes and forcing them to watch ads for commercial gain.

Court Ruling The consumer court ordered PVR and INOX to pay Abhishek:

Rs 50,000 for unfair trade practices

Rs 5,000 for mental distress

Rs 10,000 for legal expenses

Additionally, the multiplex chains were fined Rs 1 lakh, payable to the Consumer Welfare Fund within 30 days. BookMyShow was cleared of liability, as the court ruled it had no control over advertisement durations.

‘Time is Money’ In its February 15 order, the court condemned the extended ad breaks, stating that businesses cannot profit at the expense of customers' time. It ruled that individuals with busy schedules should not be forced to endure unnecessary advertisements.

Multiplexes’ Defence Rejected

PVR and INOX argued that they are legally required to screen Public Service Announcements (PSAs). However, the court clarified that PSAs should be limited to 10 minutes before the movie or during the interval, not as part of an extended pre-show ad session.

This landmark ruling sets a precedent against prolonged advertising in theaters, reinforcing consumer rights over fair scheduling.