In today’s cinema landscape, where moviegoing is increasingly becoming a luxury, Sheetal Vinod Talwar stands out as a leading advocate for change. As the Co-promoter of Maverick Media, Talwar has taken it upon himself to challenge the status quo by making films accessible to all audiences, not just a privileged few. In this exclusive interview, Talwar dives deep into the core of Maverick’s mission: to restore cinema to its roots as an affordable form of entertainment and create a more equitable experience for moviegoers.
Reimagining the Cinema Experience
Sheetal Talwar’s journey into transforming the cinema experience begins with a simple but powerful idea: cinema is art, and art should be accessible to everyone. In his words, “The way we see it at Maverick is that cinema was always meant to be the cheapest form of entertainment for people at large. Cinema is art that was meant to be accessible.”
Talwar argues that the rise of “experiential marketing” has transformed the cinema into more of a food and beverage (F&B) experience than a true cinematic event. “With the advent of experiential marketing, it has now turned to being an F&B experience, with the core of it, which is the cinema experience, has taken a backseat,” he points out. His frustration lies in the fact that the exorbitant cost of going to the movies has alienated families who once saw it as a weekend pastime. “Occupancy levels in cinemas have dropped, and we have blamed content not working, without looking at the holistic picture.”
The solution, according to Talwar, is to stop the “hostage pricing” that consumers are subjected to. He believes that the price of food and beverages at cinemas—like water sold at ₹80 and soft drinks at ₹250—runs contrary to the very ethos of the business. “As both a producer and a promoter in the exhibition business, it is crucial that everyone in the supply chain benefits, including the end consumer.” Talwar stresses that profit must not come at the cost of driving people away from cinemas. The goal, he insists, is to create a business model where “everyone benefits.”
Moderate Ticket Pricing as a Game-Changer
Talwar and Maverick Media have already put their ideas to the test. They were the first to introduce ₹99 ticket pricing for the film Maidaan, and the results were remarkable. “The sheer numbers were three times the average occupancy,” he says. This success was echoed on National Cinema Day, where the ticket price of ₹100 attracted huge crowds. “To expect the consumer to shell out almost 60% of a normal ticket cost towards F&B seems illogical as a business,” Talwar observes. By lowering ticket prices, Maverick Media has demonstrated that audiences are eager to return to cinemas—if they can afford it.
The success of these initiatives leads Talwar to hope that others in the industry will follow suit. “I think it would be unfair to say I wasn’t hopeful,” he says when asked whether competitors might adopt a similar approach. However, Talwar acknowledges that change might be slow. “I do believe that they should take notice, that there is an alternative business to be explored without holding the consumer hostage.”
A Long-Term Commitment
Maverick Media’s pricing strategy is not just a short-term marketing ploy but a long-term commitment to affordability. Talwar explains that their approach will always be driven by what the consumer is willing to pay. “You can’t reverse pricing without hurting the consumer,” he notes. At the heart of his philosophy is a belief that “hostage pricing” must be eliminated for the industry to truly thrive. Talwar argues that it’s not just content creators who are responsible for bringing audiences back to cinemas; exhibitors and other players in the value chain must also contribute to the overall experience.
One of the key issues, according to Talwar, is the over-reliance on food and beverage sales for revenue. “Globally, F&B typically accounts for 14-17% of the revenue, but in India, that number is around 30-40%.” While this may seem like a good business model on the surface, Talwar argues that it is actually driving people away from theatres. “We are losing business because the core functionality of the chains has changed from exhibition centers to F&B hubs.”
Striking a Balance Between Content and Affordability
Despite the runaway success of films like Stree and Jawan, Talwar believes that pricing is still a key factor in cinema’s future. “What Stree has managed to do is nothing short of phenomenal,” he acknowledges, but he cautions that such films are anomalies rather than the norm. Talwar envisions a future where both content and affordability drive people to cinemas. “There is ample content out there; however, it is just not being viewed in the cinemas because it hurts the pocket.” By making cinema more affordable, Talwar believes that the industry can achieve “economies of scale” that benefit everyone, from content creators to exhibitors to audiences.
Looking Ahead
Talwar’s vision for Maverick Media and the broader cinema industry is clear: affordability must be at the heart of the cinema experience. By tackling “hostage pricing” and focusing on the core cinematic experience rather than just F&B profits, Talwar hopes to restore cinema to its rightful place as a widely accessible form of entertainment. The question now is whether others in the industry will follow his lead and embrace a more consumer-friendly approach.
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