When I imagine the future of cinema in India, I see two things: extraordinary screens that make a film feel like an event, and small, affordable theatres that bring that experience closer to people who currently have little access to it.

This is a hope, an idea I want to explore. I am not presenting a finished business plan or claiming to have worked out every cost.

At one end, I would love to see more purpose-built premium cinemas: enormous screens, excellent projection and sound, and auditoriums designed around the filmgoing experience. That includes opportunities to see the taller 1.43:1 IMAX image where the film and projection system support it. The ambition is to offer something memorable and worth the journey. [2]

At the other end, I imagine modest community cinemas in small towns and underserved neighbourhoods. Perhaps some could have just 50 to 70 seats. A clean, comfortable place with good sound, reliable projection and affordable tickets could make cinema a regular outing rather than an occasional expense.

Could some of these venues eventually offer tickets around ₹50 to ₹75? I would like to explore that possibility. Those are hoped-for prices, not a claim that every operator could survive at them. The answer would depend on local costs, how many tickets sell, payments for showing films and any support available.

The FICCI–EY report published in March 2026 records 10,033 cinema screens in India in 2025 and gives a density of 6.8 screens per million people. It also says that only 3,150 of the 19,500 PIN-code areas it counts have cinema halls. I wonder how many more people could enjoy cinema if there were a theatre within easy reach. [1]

The small-pack or “sachet” idea interests me: could a smaller format widen access without sacrificing the essentials? Lower cost should still mean safe buildings, accessible entrances, clean toilets, fair working conditions and a properly licensed film.

Even 50,000 small theatres is a number I can imagine as a long-term ambition. It is not an announced programme or a researched estimate of demand. It is a way of asking how widely we might distribute the cinema experience if we stopped assuming that expansion always has to look like a large multiplex.

I would start with a few trial theatres in different places. Could they secure the films audiences wanted, including opening-week releases? Would people return after the novelty wore off? Could the business pay its workers and maintain its equipment through quieter months? The results should shape what comes next.

I also see a place for existing single-screen theatres and ordinary multiplexes. Some may need refurbishment or a different approach to pricing and programming. There is room for a range of venues between the largest screen and the smallest auditorium.

For me, the attraction of this idea is choice. A spectacular film could have a spectacular setting. A family in a smaller town could have somewhere nearby to spend an evening together. Regional films could have more places to find their audiences.

I do not know exactly what this would cost or how quickly it could grow. But I would like to see the possibility taken seriously, tested and improved.

This is the cinema landscape I dream of for India: great screens to experience a film, and affordable theatres that more people can reach.