Mexico?s Cinepolis targets 40 screens in India this year

After setting up its first property in Amritsar, Mexico?s multiplex operator, Cinepolis India, is charting out plans to expand its operations in various regions of the country in 2010.

Currently, with only four screens in India (all in Amritsar), the multiplex chain is looking at adding 40 more screens in 2010. It will be investing around Rs 3.2 crore per screen ($ 700, 000) and is looking at signing another 150 screens next year for projects to be set up in the next two to three years.

Milan Saini, country head, Cinepolis India, said, ?In 2010, we will be looking at opening new properties across all regions including cities like Mumbai, Jaipur, Nagpur, Surat and Bangalore.? Till date, Cinepolis has signed 160 screens in 10 cities with more than 10 developers.

As per a KPMG-FICCI report, there are currently around 800 screens in India, which is expected to reach around 1,000 in 2010. The report also stated that incease in number of digital screens across the country is expected to facilitate wider release of film prints as well as better occupancies in smaller screens.

Being the first international multiplex operator in India, Cinepolis India is also looking at coming up with megaplexes in Pune and Mumbai. Saini said, ?The megaplexes will have ten or more screens, which are expected to come up by 2010 or by the first quarter of 2011.

?However, this will mainly depend on the progress and finishing of the mall development. Besides Pune and Mumbai, we are looking at setting up megaplexes in cities like Banglore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Surat.?

The multiplex player is also planning to introduce its luxury brand ?Cinepolis VIP? at its megaplexes in India, as part of its plans to set up 500 screens by 2016. According to industry reports, out of these screens, 38% will come up in Western India and 50% in the south. Adding to this, Saini said, ?We are focusing on all the major south cities and looking at a sizeable investment of around Rs 800 crore in the next five ?seven years. We are still waiting for the right opportunity and the options available in the southern region.?

Moreover, Saini says that the company is facing challenges in the eastern region. ?We are still exploring cities like Kolkata and have found that retail activities in the eastern region are not well developed.?

While the company recently closed a deal with IBM as its technology partner, and Mukta Arts, it is also close to finalising a five-year deal with Coke or Pepsi as its beverage partner.