Cinepolis to open in Patna next week

PATNA: Finally the wait is over. Cinepolis, Patna’s first multiplex which was scheduled to open on July 15 at the P&M Mall at Patliputra, would now open next week.

“The four-screen multiplex, equipped with digital projectors, could not be opened as its management has not yet got the Film Exhibition Licence (FEL) from the district administration,” P&M Mall’s head Sudeep Kumar told TOI over phone. Before issuing the FEL, the administration needs to get no-objection certificates (NOC) from the building construction and energy departments as well as the state fire service and the municipal corporation.

The civic body’s NOC has not reached the administration, sources said and added all other government agencies have, however, given their goahead. The 1,000-seat multiplex would screen 20 movies every day in different shows. Ticket prices would range from Rs 80 to Rs 200 for each viewer.

Ticket prices would also vary for morning and evening shows and for weekend and weekday shows. Besides at the counters at the multiplex, tickets can be booked online at the Cinepolis website — in advance and right before the cinema starts, depending on the availability of seats. The Mexico-based multiplex chain, Cinepolis, has brought its first multiplex in Bihar to Patna in collaboration with P&M Infrastructures.

City’s Regent Cinema has also started booking tickets online. “The online booking is a boon for those who do not have time to visit the cinema hall once for advance booking of ticket and then to watch the show,” Regent proprietor Suman Sinha said and added the patrons with the internet facility at their disposal would no longer have to return disappointed because of the house being full.