The Karnataka High Court has issued a temporary stay on a consumer forum’s ruling that found PVR Cinemas liable for forcing moviegoers to endure lengthy commercial advertisements before films. This stay, effective until March 27, comes after the Bengaluru consumer court’s decision was reported by The Bar and Bench.
Justice M Nagaprasanna, presiding over the case, remarked that the consumer forum had exceeded its jurisdiction by addressing the complaint as a broader public interest issue rather than a singular consumer grievance. He noted that the forum had overstepped by imposing operational guidelines on theatres and declaring the practice of showing extended advertisements before movies as an unfair trade practice.
The lawsuit was initiated by a patron, Abhishek MR, who argued that his viewing of the film “Sam Bahadur” in 2023 was preceded by an excessive 25-minute block of commercials. He contended that this not only wasted his time but also impacted his ability to return to work promptly.
The initial ruling by the Bengaluru consumer forum required PVR and INOX (which has since merged with PVR) to disclose the actual start time of the movie, exclusive of advertisement time, on tickets. Although the platform BookMyShow was also named in the lawsuit, it was exonerated on the grounds that it does not influence cinema schedules.
Additionally, the consumer forum had directed PVR Cinemas and INOX to compensate Abhishek MR with ₹20,000 for mental anguish and inconvenience, plus ₹8,000 to cover legal expenses. The forum emphasized the value of time, criticizing the cinemas for profiting from what it considered an exploitation of customers’ time, particularly those with tight schedules seeking relaxation.
