Cinema hall owners keep fingers crossed, hope grand T20 show will be a box office success after board exams
IPL fever has gripped the nation, but it is yet to create a stir at multiplexes in the city. Multiplex owners say the response so far has filled only 15 per cent of the seats.
The owners are disappointed since they were hoping to cash in on the IPL at a time when there are hardly any big film releases.
But the theatre owners are optimistic that the IPL fever will grip people soon and matches on the big screen will run to packed houses.
"SSC exams and other school and college examinations are behind the low response," said Sadanand Mohal, president of Pune Exhibitors' Association. "Watching IPL on screen is really different from watching it on television and people will eventually flock to theatres."
Mohal, the owner of Vaibhav, Ashok and Vishal theatres, said the response has been a little better when the Mumbai team is playing.
"We get about 40 per cent occupancy. I am sure the response will get better after the exams," he said.
In hotels, pubs
There is a mixed response to the screening of IPL matches in hotels and pubs in the city.
At Hard Rock Cafe in Koregaon Park, the response is growing and there is 20 to 25 per cent rise in people coming in compared to last week, said Tushar Bhatt, general manager of the youth hot spot.
"IPL is yet to complete a week and on Saturday and Sunday we had a crowd of 400 people. Hard Rock is offering special offer to the viewers of food and beverages," said Bhatt.
Ajoy Krishnamurthy, CEO of Ishanya in Yerawada, claimed occupancy was 70 per cent at match screenings.
"We are expecting more response in the future. Our effort is directed at creating a stadium-like feel with our open-air amphitheatre, which has a 630-seat capacity," he said. "Here is only one show between 8 pm and
midnight, and it is getting popular." | 
