Ciné Fare

If we go by the first Cinépolis multiplex in India — set up in 2009 at Celebration Mall of Advance India Project Limited in Amritsar — the chain follows international standards in movie-viewing experience. The Amritsar Cinépolis features state-of-the-art technology including the first fully digital 3-D enabled auditoriums. Ditto at the recently opened Cinépolis in Bangalore. “In 2011,Cinépolis plans to open nearly 50 screens. Next year,we are targeting to open another 100 screens,” says Milan Saini,Managing Director and Country Head,Cinépolis India. By 2016,the company hopes to have 500 screens,which could make it the biggest player in the Indian market.

Cinépolis has its roots in a family business founded by Enrique Ramírez Miguel in 1947 in Michoacán,Western Mexico,with the opening of a cinema theatre. In the last six decades,the company has expanded its business to various cities of Mexico as well as in Guatemala,El Salvador,Costa Rica,Panama,Colombia and Peru.

Interestingly,Cinépolis plans to open multiplexes in second-tier cities of India,giving metro cities a miss. The lack of space in India’s jam-packed metros has limited scope for giant multiplexes. “We are targeting the top 40 cities in India and most of our locations will be in upcoming shopping malls in these cities,” says Saini.

The next few months will see Cinépolis being launched in Chennai,Hyderabad,Mangalore as well as Thane in Mumbai,provided the construction work of malls in these areas is completed on time. But why are they targeting new malls? “The principal strategy is to open with shopping malls since there is a great synergy between malls and multiplexes. Consumers experience food,shopping and entertainment under one roof. This formula works not only in India but around the world,” explains Saini. He doesn’t rule out exceptions in the future.

Several Indian companies have made similar big plans in the past,only to fade out in the long run. Do the challenges of India’s markets scare Cinépolis? “We have been operating exclusively in emerging markets like India for more than 40 years. The Indian market is relatively unsaturated and there is scope for all good operators to thrive,” says Saini.