PVR INOX is piloting a new experiential cinema format as India’s largest multiplex operator tries to reimagine the moviegoing experience for a generation increasingly split between theatres and streaming platforms.

On Thursday, the company opened Cinemagic, a six-screen property in Delhi’s Pitampura, positioned as a design-led, lifestyle-driven cinema model that blends film exhibition with social spaces, curated F&B, gaming zones, and boutique-style services. The new format, which includes themed auditoriums, a lounge that functions independently of movie tickets, and immersive foyer experiences, reflects the company’s attempt to create a “multi-hour, multi-purpose” entertainment hub.

“Audiences today are seeking more than a screen and a seat,” says Aamer Bijli, lead specialist for innovation and film marketing at PVR INOX, describing Cinemagic as an outcome of shifting urban consumer behaviour. “Design, food, social connection, and shared experiences are becoming central to why people step out.”

Unlike traditional multiplexes built around auditorium capacity, Cinemagic’s design focusses on extending dwell time. The property features a gaming arcade with VR/AR stations, themed auditoriums, a Luxe lounge, and a range of non-cinema retail touchpoints, including a perfumery and nail bar.

The launch comes at a time when multiplex chains are reassessing their operating models after years of volatility triggered by the pandemic, the rise of OTT viewership, and shifting consumption patterns across metropolitan areas.

While Delhi-NCR is a stronghold for PVR INOX, the choice of Pitampura—a largely residential pocket in Northwest Delhi—signals a deeper strategic shift. According to Bijli, the company’s internal “market intensity index,” which maps evolving local consumption patterns, indicated a rising appetite for premium experiences in the neighbourhood, driven by young professionals and upwardly mobile families.

The property has been developed under PVR INOX’s capital-light model in partnership with the Unity Group. The company has leaned more heavily on asset-light expansion in the last two years to manage capex pressure and accelerate its presence in growth markets.

The layout is deliberately split: one zone operates as a premium social space with dining and café seating, while another serves as a recreational cluster aimed at families and younger audiences. “We want to encourage people to explore the space even when they aren’t there strictly to watch a film,” says Bijli.

This shift mirrors a broader trend in global cinema chains, which have increasingly leaned on hybrid experiences—from live events and gaming showcases to premium dining—as they diversify beyond box-office-linked revenue.

Despite the return of theatrical crowds over the past 18–24 months, OTT platforms continue to reshape audience expectations. Rather than viewing streaming purely as competition, PVR INOX is using OTT consumption patterns as a data proxy for programming decisions in theatres. “OTT has expanded people’s appetite for varied genres,” Bijli says. “It gives us clear signals on what audiences are gravitating toward, which we then validate with theatrical performance.”

The Pitampura launch is being treated as a testbed. PVR INOX will evaluate early data — footfalls, dwell time, conversion rates, and repeat visits—before scaling the format to bigger markets. Metro cities, including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai, are under active consideration. “Mumbai is definitely on the list,” Bijli confirms, noting the city’s strong preference for premium formats. The company may also explore additional locations within Delhi-NCR, depending on the response.

The strategy aligns with a broader shift within the exhibition business: content diversity—across languages, formats, and genres—is crucial to sustaining theatre occupancies.

Multiplex operators have benefited from one of the strongest content slates in the post-pandemic period. Across 2025, high-performing Bollywood titles such as Saiyaara and Chhaava, alongside regional blockbusters, including Mahavatar Narsimha, Kantara, and Lokah, have helped drive occupancies above last year’s levels. The upcoming calendar—from Avatar: Fire and Ash and Ikkis to Alpha and Dhurandhar—is expected to keep footfalls steady.

PVR INOX plans to add 91 new screens this year through new sites and refurbished properties, signalling a strong recovery. Overall, it will open 105 screens across 19 cinemas in FY’26. With Cinemagic, PVR INOX is placing an early bet on a future where cinema is not just an out-of-home entertainment option but a social destination.