PVR INOX unveils AI powered chatbot on Whatsapp, Executive Director Sanjeev Kumar Bijli says: Accessibility and personalization are central – Exclusive

PVR INOX Limited, India’s largest and most premium cinema exhibitor, has discovered an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot named MJ (Movie Jockey). Available 24/7 on WhatsApp, MJ stir up the movie discovery and booking experience, supporting users in Hindi, English, Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu. The goal of this service is to give moviegoers a more convenient and enjoyable experience.

MJ provides a customized experience based on each person's preferred movies because to its sophisticated AI capabilities. It makes movie recommendations according on showtime, location, language, genre, and movie format. Users can easily switch between 2D and 3D options and explore a variety of premium theater formats, such as IMAX, MX4D, ONYX, ScreenX, and Playhouse. By leading consumers through simple, conversational interactions, MJ guarantees a flawless experience, making reservations and movie discovery stress-free and pleasurable.

"Accessibility and personalization are central to the Movie Jockey experience, reflecting our commitment to transforming the customer journey in a digital-first world," said Mr. Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, Executive Director – PVR INOX.

Explaining why WhatsApp was the platform of choice, he added, “WhatsApp, as a highly popular platform, was a natural choice for MJ, making it easy for users to connect and explore movies. With AI at its core, MJ bridges the gap between audiences and their unique cinematic tastes, ensuring each outing is enjoyable and stress-free. Whether for the avid moviegoer or the casual visitor, MJ makes it easy to discover new movies, view format options, check language preferences, and more."

To access MJ, users can visit PVR INOX’s official website, start a conversation via their app, or simply send a message on WhatsApp at 8800989898 to experience the future of cinema booking.

Inspiration Behind MJ
When asked about the thought process and the customer trends that inspired the development of MJ, Mr. Bijli explained, "The entire world is moving now towards online and AI-powered chatbot technology. It’s obviously a technology that we can’t ignore. So, we brainstormed to identify a relevant use-case scenario for our business."

Highlighting that 65–70% of PVR INOX’s ticket sales are now conducted online, largely through apps or aggregators like BookMyShow, Mr. Bijli also mentioned that after Zomato selling their theatre inventory it was time to take the next step "WhatsApp seemed like the next logical step because it allows customers to discover films, book tickets, buy F&B, and even pay seamlessly through UPI. It’s quick, convenient, and enhances the overall experience."

Collaborations and Future Plans
On collaborations with companies like Jio Haptik, Razorpay, and Meta, Mr. Bijli remarked, "We have other collaborations too, but this is one of the significant ones we decided to start with. It’s just the beginning, and as we move forward, we’ll explore other ways to deploy these technologies—all with the customer at the center."

Success of Re-releases
Discussing the impact of movie re-releases, Mr. Bijli admitted, “We had a very muted year because of the elections. It was the longest elections possible, lasting six weeks. Then came IPL, and all the content we were banking on got pushed to later quarters.”

He recounted how their experiment with re-releases began: "One of our senior managers suggested, ‘Hey, let’s play Rockstar. It’s my favorite film.’ And surprisingly, the re-release of Rockstar went on to do ₹10 crores in box office revenue. That success opened up a whole new avenue and opportunity for us.”

Re-releases, he explained, resonate with audiences because of their familiarity. “People are time-poor these days. They prefer watching a film they’ve already connected with. There are no surprises. They know they like Rockstar, they’ve loved the songs, and they want to enjoy it again on the big screen.”

PVR INOX has since seen similar success with other re-releases like Laila Majnu, which earned more than its original release, as well as Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein, Kal Ho Naa Ho, and Tumbbad, which also performed exceptionally well.

“Re-releases add to our bottom line because they generate revenue almost out of thin air,” he concluded. “It’s a win-win for both cinema lovers and us as exhibitors.”