The President of the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA), Mr. Abhay Sinha, emphasized the urgent need to expand affordable and accessible cinema infrastructure across India while speaking at the CII Big Picture Summit 2025.

Organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the summit was held from December 1 to 2, 2025, at the JW Marriott Hotel, Juhu, Mumbai. The twelfth edition of the summit was themed “Connecting Creativity and Commerce in the AI Era” and brought together key leaders from government, media, technology and the entertainment industry.

IMPPA was represented at the summit by Senior Vice President Ms. Sushma Shiromani, Executive Committee Member and FMC General Secretary Mr. Nishant Ujjwal, along with Mr. Yusuf Sheikh and Mr. Manish Jain. The summit was chaired by Mr. Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.

One of the key sessions focused on “Cinema Infrastructure: Building Screens and Modern Theatres for Equitable Entertainment in India.” Addressing the session, Mr. Abhay Sinha highlighted the challenges faced by the exhibition sector, noting that multiplex ticket prices—often ranging between ₹200 and ₹250—are beyond the reach of low- and middle-income audiences. This, he said, has a direct impact on theatre footfalls and the overall growth of the film industry.

Mr. Sinha urged the government to review taxes such as TDS and GST imposed on theatres in order to provide relief and support to the exhibition sector. He also proposed the development of 100-seat mini cinema halls at bus depots and railway stations to make movie viewing more accessible to the common public.

Additionally, Mr. Sinha suggested the introduction of mobile theatres mounted on trucks, each with a seating capacity of 100, which could travel to small towns and rural areas. According to him, such initiatives would open new avenues for entertainment and expand cinematic outreach across the country.

The summit witnessed several innovative ideas aimed at strengthening India’s screen infrastructure and reaffirmed the industry’s collective commitment to inclusive, technology-driven growth.

–Shashikant Singh (Journalist)

 

IMPPA President Abhay Sinha Calls For Wider And Affordable Access To Cinema At CII Big Picture Summit