HYDERABAD: Madhapur police on Friday booked a case against PVR Inorbit following a complaint by activist Sai Teja, vice president, Forum Against Corruption, stating that the theatre played advertisements delaying screening of the movie.
Speaking to the Express, Sai Teja said that as per the Telangana State Cinema Regulations Act, 1955 delaying screening of a movie is in violation of the Act and amounts to unfair trade practice.
“Multiplexes generate high revenue for playing advertisements and some theatres delay the screening of the movie by playing ads. The Act says that the moviegoers cannot be forced to watch advertisements at the time when the movie was supposed to start. This is pure deficiency of service and violation of consumer rights,” he said.
He said that he had visited PVR Inorbit on December 31, to watch a movie that was supposed to start at 1:55 pm, but it did not start till 2:09 pm.
Following which, he filed a police complaint. Many people do not complain about such issues due to lack of awareness about Cinema Regulations Act, Sai Teja said.
“Every theatre has to have a complaint book on their premises. People can approach local police or file a complaint on Hawk Eye application,” he added.