The new meeting halls

As the Indian film industry staggers from the effects of the economic slowdown, multiplexes across India are rolling out the red carpet for corporate events to generate some moolah. “We rent them out on week days as weekends see packed theatres. It’s mainly for corporate clients if they want to host an event,” says Amitabh Vardhan, CEO, PVR Cinemas. He, however, makes it clear that theatres such as his are suitable only for events such as corporate training or launches. Surprisingly, venues such as PVR or Adlabs offer only a slight cost advantage over hotels. As Tushar Dhingra, CEO, Adlabs, points out, while the fixed expenses may be low, the operational costs could mount up—such as catering services.

“We have done theme parties where the cost was Rs 2,000 per head. What we offer is the uniqueness of the venue,” says Dhingra, who’s played host to the likes of ICICI, Microsoft and K. Raheja Group. Realty major DLF’s entertainment venture, DT Cinemas, will be entering the fray after April when its kitty of multiplexes swells to eight cinemas and 30 screens. With fewer movies coming to theatres, they hope to fill the void with a little help from India Inc.

— Tejeesh N.S. Behl