The Hindu : Front Page : Urvasi to become multiplex

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 20, 2007
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Urvasi to become multiplex

K.N. Murali Sankar

Mumbai-based company to undertake the task

GOING HI-TECH: A view of the theatre complex.

VIJAYAWADA: Four months from now, Urvasi Theatre complex in the city will become a multiplex. Mumbai-based INOX Leisure Limited has inked an agreement with the city-based Urvasi Theatres Private Limited to develop the Rambha-Urvasi-Menaka triplet theatre complex in Gandhi Nagar into a multiplex.

For INOX, the group that owns 14 multiplexes in 11 cities across the country, the deal provides a point of entry into Andhra Pradesh. For Urvasi Theatres, it will mean getting the credit of becoming the first multiplex in the coastal region.

"We're very excited about the deal, as film business is doing well in Andhra Pradesh. People here love to watch movies and they don't mind spending some money for it," Alok Tandon, chief operations officer of the INOX, told The Hindu over telephone from Mumbai on Thursday.

He said that the complex would sport a new look with renovated screens, seating and acoustics

Food courts

Food courts and shopping area would also come up. "We will go for a total renovation so that the audience can feel the difference," he said.

While renovation would begin in the first week of May, screening of movies would, in all likelihood, begin in September. Once done, the multiplex would have a seating capacity of 1,100.

"Ambience and hygiene are our focus areas. We will not compromise on the money factor, so that we can make it one of the best multiplexes," Mr. Tandon explained.

He assured that the ticket prices would still be within the reach of ordinary filmgoers.

"We will screen English, Hindi and Telugu movies based on public demand," he revealed.

Ambitious plans

Besides planning to clinch a deal with a couple of more theatres in the city, the INOX group was also gearing up to open multiplexes in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. The GVK Complex on Road No.1 in Banjara Hills, where the INOX planned to open four screens, was expected to be ready by the end of the year, while the proposed complex on Beach Road in Visakhapatnam would also be opened around the same time.

G. Viswanath, managing director of Urvasi Theatres, said that the deal was struck to offer qualitative films to the movie lovers of Vijayawada.

"Since I can't afford the funding for renovation, I have entered into an agreement with the INOX," he said.

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