Consumer Commission fines PVR ₹1 Lakh for excessive advertisements

The Bengaluru Urban District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered PVR Cinemas at Orion Mall and PVR Inox Limited to pay ₹1 lakh in punitive damages for reportedly playing advertisements beyond the scheduled runtime of a film.

The commission, chaired by M. Shobha with members K. Anita Shivakumar and Suma Anil Kumar, ruled that the practice constituted an unjust and unfair trade practice. The order was issued on Saturday in response to a complaint filed by advocate Abhishek M.R.

According to the complaint, Abhishek had booked three tickets for Sam Bahadur on 26 December 2023, for a 4:05 p.m. show, paying ₹825.66 per ticket. The film was expected to conclude by 6:30 p.m., allowing him to return to work. However, advertisements and film trailers were shown from 4:05 p.m. to 4:28 p.m., delaying the start of the movie until 4:30 p.m. As a result, Abhishek claimed he missed a work commitment.

PVR Cinemas and PVR Inox Limited denied the allegations, arguing that they were legally required to screen public service announcements to raise awareness on various issues. However, the commission, after reviewing a recording submitted by the complainant, found that only one of the 17 advertisements played was a public service announcement. As per government guidelines, such announcements should not exceed 10 minutes before a film.

The commission upheld the complaint, noting that many other viewers may have faced similar issues. It directed PVR Cinemas and PVR Inox Limited to cease violating the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s order on the matter.

The commission further observed that businesses should not profit from consumers’ time and money and that viewers should not be forced to watch advertisements for more than 30 minutes, as cinema is meant for relaxation, not frustration. It rejected PVR’s argument that the recording of advertisements was illegal, stating that the complainant had only documented them to support his case.

Along with the ₹1 lakh fine, the commission ordered PVR Cinemas and PVR Inox Limited to compensate the complainant with ₹20,000 for mental distress and inconvenience, and ₹8,000 for litigation costs. The fine is to be deposited in the Consumer Welfare Fund.