Last month, tickets for Oppenheimer were being sold for Rs. 2,450 each and even 3am screenings of the film were running houseful. Tickets for James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) were sold at Rs. 2,500. Even Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One saw an unusually higher ticket price. These incidents seem to suggest that there is an audience for premium movie-watching experiences. With a number of big-ticket pan-India releases lined up, including Jawan, Animal and Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire, we ask experts if the premium segment is a one-off thing or if is it here to stay.

Audiences preferring premium formats to enjoy films at the cinemas is a trend we’ve been observing for the last several years. So, we’ve been upgrading our cinemas and believe this trend is here to stay.

The ticket bookings for Oppenheimer proved that Indians prioritize exceptional storytelling and unforgettable cinematic journeys. True enthusiasts will pay for the cinematic experience on the big screen. With films like Jawan and Fighter are anticipated to garner huge profits, it is evident that people are ready to invest more in their movie-watching experience.

Only a section of people, those who have the spending power, are moving towards the premium cinema experience. But a person who enjoys films like Satyaprem Ki Katha or Zara Hatke Zara Bachke won’t pay these ticket prices. The middle-class audience interested in watching these films, wait and go to the theatre when the ticket prices fall.

For movies that have cinematic spectacular value, immersive viewing experiences or collective viewing experiences, people will choose cinema halls as the preferred medium of consumption and pay any price for it.

The audience would enjoy a premium cinema experience with actors Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan and Dunki, Prabhas’ Salaar or Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal. There is a movement towards wanting a premium experience but only in select areas.