PVR to strengthen position in all segments

New Delhi, May 27 (UNI) Leading cinema exhibitor PVR Ltd is looking at consolidating its position and reach in its premium and low-cost multiplexes as it will add 50 more screens to the existing 82 over the next two years.

The company will invest Rs 25 crore in Gujarat alone, as part of its Rs 200 crore outplay announced last year to reach 200 screens of its no-frill cinema -- PVR Talkies by 2009.

''PVR wants to cover 45 cities in the next four years with a profitable growth across various sectors and various segments. Be it the Rs 100-200 per ticket segment or the premium class costing Rs 200 and above,'' PVR Ltd CEO Ashish Shukla told UNI.

With a strong foothold in the metros, PVR is at present looking at Tier II cities with PVR Talkies with tickets priced at Rs 40 and Rs 60, much less than what is charged in PVR Cinemas in the bigger cities like Delhi, which alone counts for 30 PVR screens.

Talking about the company's Tier III foray, Mr Shukla said PVR will focus there in the second phase of its expansion.

''We have already commenced operations in Vadodara where the response has been good with 40 per cent plus occupancy in the morning show. We will look at Tier III cities in the second phase after a year and a half,'' he added.

Mr Shukla refused to provide a break up as to how many of the 50 new screens will be part of the low-cost multiplexes but said it will be a mix of both.

The company has two projects in Vadodara, two in Ahmedabad (up to seven screens) and one each in Rajkot and Surat (up to five screens), he said.

PVR Ltd CMD Ajay Bijli last year announced plans to set up 200 PVR Talkies spread across 70 cities in 13 states, including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in the first phase of expansion.

PVR Talkies -- The People's Cinema -- first kick-started in Aurangabad and Latur with three screens each in September, taking the total PVR screen count to 76 across the nation.

''Movie-going experience can be improved in the smaller towns. The appetite to watch movies is there and that's where we see the growth potential,'' Mr Bijli said.

A PVR Cinema, on an average, costs Rs 2 crore-2.5 crore per screen while a PVR Talkies entails an investment of about Rs 1-1.5 crore per screen, Mr Shukla informed.

UNI