PVR Cinemas partners with Scrabble Entertainment to go 100% Digital

Pune: PVR Cinemas will have all its screens converted to digital projection by the end of this month. It has tied up with Scabble Entertainment, a Mumbai-based digital cinema system supplier, that will convert 73 of PVR's 162 operational screens to digital in the next fortnight.

Digital cinema is a technology by which movies are screened using digital projection unlike the traditional system where a beam of light is passed through physical cellulose prints. It allows greater security and safety for the content, when films are screened digitally. Physical prints are more likely to be stolen and leaked to pirates. Digital cinema is transferred through either satellite downloads or in copy-proof hard disks.

The company supplies 2K digital systems, where 2K refers to images having 2048 pixels of horizontal resolution. The conversion of 73 screens will cost Rs 21 crore and all the future properties will be digital. The size of the entire partnership for digital conversion until December 2012 would be approximately Rs 66 Crore, a company statement said.

Ranjit Thakur, CEO, Scrabble Entertainment Ltd. highlighted "It is extremely encouraging to see the entire foot-print of a leading theatre chain go digital. Being one of the biggest & best theater chains in India, this partnership is a major step for India going completely digital by 2014. It is great to partner with PVR Cinemas as both of us strive at giving our patrons the best movie-viewing experience."

Pramod Arora, Group President & CEO of PVR Cinemas elaborated, " The value, flexibility & quality that 2K digital provides is far beyond the differential cost difference when compared to any other digital platform in the country. The stellar image on screen substantially improves the overall viewing experience of the consumer. At PVR we have taken a conscious decision to always go with the best available technology from time to time "

Kapil Agrawal, Joint Managing Director of UFO Moviez added that leading exhibitors such as PVR Cinemas understand the importance of digital platforms and are planning to adapt to the technology at an initial stage before print goes obsolete by 2014. We hope to see many more exhibitors such as PVR Cinemas taking this initiative." UFO Movies holds a 52% stake in Scrabble Entertainment.

The partnership will be based on a rental model which will include the services of programming, flexibility logs of movies advertising, Theatre Management System and a central library.