9-Minute Ad Delay Before Film Is Deficiency In Service, Medak Consumer Commission Orders PVR INOX To Pay

A consumer court in Telangana has held that even a brief delay before a film begins can amount to unfair treatment for moviegoers. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Medak at Sangareddy, ruled in favour of a young advocate who complained that a multiplex started his late-night show several minutes after the time printed on the ticket.

The bench, headed by P. Kasthuri, said the practice of screening advertisements after the scheduled start of a film violated the contractual commitment made to viewers and therefore qualified as deficiency in service.

Advocate's Complaint Over Late Start

The case was filed by 24-year-old advocate Harsha Vardhan Gujjeti of Ramachandrapuram against PVR INOX Limited and others. He had booked two tickets through BookMyShow for the 10:00 PM screening of Court: State Vs A Nobody on March 15, 2025 at INOX Leisure Ltd., Sattva Necklace Mall, Secunderabad, paying Rs. 483.

According to the complaint, instead of beginning the film at 10:00 PM, the theatre screened advertisements and trailers until 10:09 PM inside Screen No. 7. Gujjeti argued that the delay made him miss scheduled client meetings and caused mental distress and professional inconvenience. He sought a refund, Rs. 8 lakh compensation and Rs. 2 lakh litigation expenses.

The Commission recorded that INOX Leisure Ltd. had merged with PVR Limited following a National Company Law Tribunal order dated January 12, 2023 and now operates as PVR INOX Limited.

BookMyShow Cleared, Contractual Time Emphasised

Big Tree Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., which runs the ticketing platform BookMyShow, maintained it merely facilitated online bookings and had no control over theatre operations or show timings. The Commission accepted the argument and dismissed the complaint against the platform.

The court also examined the film's running time. While the complainant mentioned 1 hour 53 minutes, the Central Board of Film Certification certificate confirmed a duration of 150 minutes. More importantly, the Commission stressed that the printed showtime of 10:00 PM constituted a binding promise to consumers and deviation without disclosure breached that commitment.

Ads After Showtime Called Unfair Trade Practice

Referring to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Office Memorandum dated November 30, 2023, the Commission noted that public service announcements may be screened within ten minutes before a movie starts. However, the theatre showed commercial advertisements after the scheduled start.

"The delay caused was not due to any technical or other reasons but for playing commercial advertisements after the start of movie time (i.e., 10:00 pm), for which we consider that it amounts to generating business for them. Hence, the conduct amounts to a deficiency in service and unfair trade practice," the order stated.

The multiplex had argued it was required to screen safety instructions and public messages and that advertisements were part of its business rights. The Commission disagreed, clarifying that mandatory announcements must appear before the scheduled time, not after it.

Compensation Awarded, Larger Claim Rejected

The complaint was partly allowed. PVR INOX Limited was directed to pay Rs. 5,000 for mental agony and Rs. 3,000 as litigation costs, and to strictly follow the screening time printed on tickets.

If the order is not complied with within 45 days, interest at 9 percent per annum will apply on the compensation from the date of the complaint until payment.

On the advocate's claim of professional loss, the Commission observed, "The complainant, being an advocate, has not filed any credible evidence for the loss sustained by him for not attending to his professional commitment. Without there being any evidence quantifying the damage, he is not entitled to the huge amount of compensation as claimed in the complaint."

The ruling effectively establishes that advertisements cannot eat into a movie's scheduled start time and that consumers are entitled to services exactly as promised on their tickets.