Indian cinema tickets are getting pricier – but not everyone’s complaining

Sahil Arora, 20, had been eagerly waiting to watch the latest Bollywood release starring his favourite actor.

But going to the theatre set him back considerably – a seat at a Delhi multiplex cost 500 rupees ($6; £4), nearly a third of his weekly pocket money.

“I enjoyed the movie, but the price was a sore point,” he said. “Popcorn was another 500 rupees, so I skipped it.”

He’s not alone. Rising ticket and snack prices mean moviegoers are cutting down on their trips to cinema and moving towards cheaper streaming options.

Harsh Verma, 38, looks back on a time when going to the movies didn’t feel like a luxury.

“Some 15 years ago, my friends and I would go and watch every new release, sometimes every week. That has now become impossible.”

In the past five years, data shows that the average cost of a film ticket in India has risen by 47%.

The Average Ticket Price (ATP) in 2020 was 91 rupees, while in 2024 it rose to 134, according to audience research firm Ormax media. However, between 2023 and 2024 there was only a 3% rise in the ATP – suggesting that the prices have stabilised.

The report adds that footfall in Indian cinemas has reduced by 6% in 2024 as compared to 2023, continuing a trend in recent years.

One of the main reasons why going to movies has become expensive is because single-screen theatres that offered cheaper tickets have now been mostly replaced by plush multi-screen cinemas that offer a host of amenities.

But multiplex owners argue that ticket prices are reasonable and that audiences continue to visit in large numbers.