Movie goers may soon be able to print their way into movie theatres.

PVR Cinemas has launched a pilot project at one of its movie halls in the Capital wherein film buffs have been given the option to print an e-ticket at home. This will be valid for entry into the auditorium.

Several multiplex chains have put in requests with State Governments to validate e-tickets for movie shows. Industry sources say some of the southern states such as Karnataka are expected to permit this in the next few months.

e-tickets

So far, consumers were not allowed to print their own e-tickets as State Governments require multiplexes to sell only stamped ticket rolls. This is to keep a tab on entertainment tax collections.

Mr Pramod Arora, Group President and CEO, PVR Ltd, says, “We expect nearly 20-22 per cent of the total ticket sales to come from online sales in the next two-three years.”

If the regulatory framework allows consumers to print e-tickets or use booking code to enter movie auditoriums, it is likely to fuel a boom in online movie ticket booking, he said.

It will also help multiplexes save on printing costs.

Popular option

In fact, online ticket booking is fast catching up among movie buffs. For Mumbai-based Cinemax, Vidya Balan's Kahani witnessed the biggest ever online sale of tickets, while nearly half of the tickets sold for Titanic 3 D were booked online.

“In cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, and New Delhi, 30-45 per cent of tickets are booked online and booked much in advance,” said Mr Sunil Punjabi, CEO, Cinemax.

Like airlines, multiplex chains should be allowed to adopt differential pricing for early booking or to retail unsold inventory, a senior executive of a leading multiplex chain said.

Multiplex operators are also betting big on online aggregators for online sales. Ms Neetu Bhatia, co-founder and Chairman, Kyazoonga, said: “Online booking of movies tickets as a category has been witnessing 70-80 per cent growth year-on-year.”

> meenakshi.v@thehindu.co.in

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