Cricket fans in the city can rejoice as multiplexes are ready to screen the popular T20 tournament
Inspite of city restaurants and bars deciding against keeping the telly on for the IPL, you can still munch on popcorn, have a soft drink and watch the matches in a festive atmosphere as multiplexes and single-screen cinema halls are game for the grand T20 show.
Single-screen cinema halls and two multiplexes are all set to enthral cricket lovers with live screenings of the matches all through the tournament.
All IPL matches will be shown between 4 pm and 12 am between March 12 and April 25.
Vaibhav, Ashok, Arun, Vijay, Mangala, and the two City Pride multiplexes at Kothrud and Satara Road are planning to screen IPL matches, while some more theatres may come forward.
Sadanand Mohal, president, Pune Exhibitors Association, said, "This is the first time we are taking the risk of screening IPL in our theatres. It will be showed via satellite-enabled technology United Film Organizer (UFO), which was introduced by UFO Movies India four years ago.
Mohal said his theatre Vaibhav in Hadapsar was the first in the city to install UFO in 2007.
"If we succeed in attracting audiences to the IPL shows, we will also try to do it for the World Cup," he added.
While UFO's role is limited to that of a service provider, the distributor is Entertainment Sports Direct, which has purchased the rights for the theatre screening of IPL matches globally for Rs 330 crore.
Mohal said the IPL matches will also have a background score, like a feature film, to make the experience more enjoyable.
"We have Dolby Digital Sound System which will be used in the screening. Fortunately there are no big budget films releasing during the IPL period," he said.
A M Jaswani, manager, Mangala, said, "We are screening it at theatres with 350 seating capacity. The ticket charges and other details will be finalised soon."
Sanjay Chavan, Chief Technical Officer, UFO Movies India, said, "We have already established a network of 1,750 theatres in the country and 140 in Maharashtra. We are exploring all these places for the IPL and there will be a revenue sharing of 50 per cent for each show." | 
