Cinepolis breaches late night show norms in Ahmedabad; screenings suspended for a month

Cinepolis breaches late night show norms in Ahmedabad; screenings suspended for a month

MUMBAI: Multiplexes in Ahmedabad have revised their timings to ascertain that their late night shows don’t creep past midnight after the Ahmedabad district collector issued suspension notice on the city-based Cinepolis multiplexes.

On 21 December last year, when entertainment inspectors landed at AlphaOne mall 15 minutes past midnight, the Mexican multiplex chain, which operates six screens at the mall, was found operating four shows that began after 10:30 pm.

Its license was suspended for a month on 3 February. In the suspension notice issued by the Ahmedabad district collector, it was alleged that the chain had resorted to “competition in business” that led to shows going beyond midnight.

“After the Cinepolis incident, multiplexes have corrected their timings and are now ensuring that no shows stretch beyond one hour after midnight,” said Manubhai Patel, president of Multiplex Association of Gujarat in a statement.

Patel made it clear that since 3 February, when the operations of the Mexican company was suspended for a month, there have been no cinema shows beginning past 11 pm. He also made it clear that the association had not taken up the suspension issue with the government authorities as Cinepolis was not its member.

When contacted, Cinepolis head, strategy Devang Sampat, refused to comment saying that Cinepolis has approached a higher authority for a review of the suspension order.

The suspension order ends on 3 March.