PVR Cinemas fined ₹75,000 for excessive movie advertisements

PVR Cinemas has been ordered by the Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission to pay a total fine of ₹75,000 following a complaint regarding excessive advertisements before a film. The ruling follows a case filed by a Hyderabad-based lawyer who reported that a 10:35 pm screening was delayed by 17 minutes due to advertisements and trailers.

The complainant argued that the delay disrupted his schedule and raised safety concerns regarding late-night travel. He alleged that PVR misused time for commercial purposes, violating screening rules established by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

PVR defended its actions by citing Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, which protects the right to trade freely, and argued that the pre-film content—covering topics such as literacy, agriculture, and women’s welfare—served the public interest. However, the commission rejected this defense, noting that Ministry guidelines state public service films must be limited to two minutes within a ten-minute window before a movie starts.

The ₹75,000 penalty is split into ₹25,000 as compensation and litigation costs for the complainant, and ₹50,000 to be deposited into the district consumer welfare fund. The commission classified the delay as an unfair trade practice, stating that cinemas cannot extract extra commercial value from captive audiences.