SPI Cinemas

SPI Cinemas is an Indian multiplex chain and film production company originally owned by the SPI Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The company began operating multiplexes in Chennai, and eventually expanded to several states in India. SPI is often lauded for its premium quality and inexpensive pricing.[1][2] Its theatres, primarily PVR Sathyam, are often used by filmmakers for film premieres and audio launch events.[3] Popcorn served at SPI Cinemas has received considerable praise from film goers and the media.[4] In August 2018, PVR Cinemas had completed the acquisition of SPI Cinemas.

SPI Cinemas
IndustryEntertainment
FoundedApril 1974 (1974-04)
Headquarters
Royapettah, Chennai
,
India
Number of locations
9
Area served
India
Key people
Kiran Reddy (MD)
ParentPVR Cinemas
Websitewww.spicinemas.in www.pvrcinemas.com

SPI is notable for being the first multiplex operator in India to equip its screens with the Dolby Atmos and Auro 11.1 sound systems.[5][6]

History

Sathyam Cinemas was originally named the "Royal Theatre Complex" and was built by Raja from Venkatagiri in April 1974.[7][8] With a capacity of 1,255 seats, it was the largest multiplex built in Chennai at the time.[9]

Kiran Reddy, the current CEO of SPI Group, revealed in a 2012 interview with The Hindu that Sathyam Cinemas was acquired by his family "from someone" in the 1980s. It was acquired for real estate purposes with no intention of continuing the theatre business. He claimed, "The intent was to demolish the Sathyam building. The theatre wasn't a viable business if you looked at the value of the land." However, when he got involved in the business, the family had made several improvements to the theatre.[10] Reddy had taken over the business in 1999 and continued developing the theatre, adding three more screens and refurbishing the existing three.[11]

In 2009, SPI Cinemas established itself as a film production company, producing its first film, Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru.[12] SPI Cinemas is one of the key movie distributors in Tamil Nadu and has forayed into the music business with Think Music to distribute Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam movie soundtracks via digital media and Purplenote to distribute non-movie contemporary music.[13]

Acquisition by PVR Cinemas

In August 2018, PVR Cinemas had completed the acquisition of SPI Cinemas.[14] In August 2019, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) New Delhi-branch approved the amalgamation of SPI Cinemas into PVR with effect from the appointed date of August 17, 2018, PVR said in the exchange filing.[15][16] At the time of acquisition, PVR Cinemas mentioned that they will start re-branding SPI Cinemas' properties outside of Tamil Nadu as PVR in a phased manner. Also all future projects will be branded as PVR. This includes the state of Tamil Nadu as well. As of January 2021, PVR has integrated all of SPI properties with itself and started rebranding the cinemas as PVR. The SPI cinemas website and mobile app is now a cloned version of PVR website/app and the customers will be able to book movie tickets for SPI screens in both SPI and PVR Cinemas Website.[17][18] All the S2 and thecinema properties will be completely rebranded as PVR in the near future and only Sathyam, Escape and Palazzo names will be retained. PVR has already replaced all the signboards and beverage containers within the SPI properties with PVR name.

Locations
State/TerritoryCityTheatre NameTheatre LocalityNumber of ScreensRef.
Tamil NaduChennaiSathyam CinemasRoyapettah6
Escape CinemasExpress Avenue, Royapettah8[19]
S2 PeramburSpectrum Mall, Perambur5
S2 TheyagarajaOld Theyagaraja Talkies, Thiruvanmiyur2
Palazzo CinemasThe Forum Vijaya, Vadapalani9 (including one IMAX)[20]
CoimbatoreThe CinemaBrookefields Mall, Krishnaswamy Road6[21]
PuducherryPondicherryThe CinemaProvidence Mall5[22]
KarnatakaBengaluruAURAAscendas Park Square Mall, Whitefield4
KeralaTrivandrumKripa CinemasThampanoor2

References
  1. "Hollywood praise for Sathyam Cinemas!". Behindwoods. 31 October 2012.
  2. Naveena Vijayan (15 April 2014). "Luxe Takes Movie Experience Beyond the Conventional". The New Indian Express.
  3. Lata Srinivasan (1 November 2012). "Ang Lee praises Sathyam Cinemas". The Times of India.
  4. Sudhir Srinivasan (14 May 2015). "Chennai's corny tradition". The Hindu.
  5. Aaron Almeida (5 December 2012). "Dolby launches its Dolby Atmos audio platform in India". Firstpost.
  6. Bill Mead (25 November 2013). "Technology in review: Asia embraces digital, 3D and immersive sound". Film Journal International.
  7. N. Ramakrishnan (27 December 2013). "Chennai has a big role to play". Business Line.
  8. "Sathyam Cinemas Selects Qube for All Screens of Its Flagship Multiplex at Chennai, India". Business Wire. 27 June 2007.
  9. Nitya Menon (27 November 2013). "The changing scene". The Hindu.
  10. Shonali Muthalaly (23 February 2012). "Reddy Made In Chennai". The Hindu.
  11. Sreedhar Pillai (15 December 2006). "And now, the multiplex mania". The Hindu.
  12. Shalini Shah (7 August 2009). "A first for Sathyam". The Hindu.
  13. "About Us".
  14. "PVR completes acquisition of 71.6% stake of SPI Cinemas". The Economic Times. 17 August 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  15. "SPI cinemas amalgamated with PVR effective August 17, 2018" (PDF). PVR Website. 23 August 2019.
  16. "SPI Cinemas Amalgamation". Business Today. 17 October 2019.
  17. "PVR Le Reve Cinemas, Globus Mall, Bandra, Mumbai, Maharashtra".
  18. "PVR Haseen Cinemas, Bhiwandi, Mumbai, Maharashtra".
  19. Prince Frederick (18 June 2013). "Let the show begin". The Hindu.
  20. Subramanian, Karthik (3 November 2014). "The long wait for IMAX". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  21. V. S. Palaniappan (6 December 2011). "The Cinema @ Brookefields opens tomorrow". The Hindu.
  22. https://www.facebook.com/spicinemasindia/posts/1063621670444289
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