Multiplex chain major Inox Leisure is looking at investing at least Rs 30-40 crore in the next two years to set up 10 new multiplexes in West Bengal.
Currently, the company has seven multiplexes in West Bengal and 26 screens. The 10 new multiplexes would entail a total of 40 screens by 2011.
Alok Tandon, chief operating officer (COO) of Inox Leisure, said, “We are looking to invest Rs 2-2.5 crore per property. We are also open to acquiring large theatres and revamp and rebrand them into multiplexes of our own.”
The new muliplexes would come up in Kolkata (Diamond City, Jeyssore Road, B T Road, Panditya Road, Strand Road), in Siliguri, Haldia, Kharagpur (Puja Complex), Asansol, and Howrah.
Among other plans, the company is planning to enter the Bengali film distribution business soon, with its intention to take Bengali films to different parts of the country and give Bengali movies a national presence. “A lot of new-age Bengali movies are coming up which are getting accepted nationally. So, distribution of Bengali films could open up new avenues for us,” Tandon added.m Inox already distributes Hindi movies in West Bengal, like 'Fashion', among others. The Bengali movie industry is estimated at around Rs 40 crore releasing 30 movies annually.
Inox, the pioneer of multiplex culture in West Bengal, currently operates 29 multiplexes and 105 screens in 20 cities across India. “With seven multiplexes and 26 screens in our stable, East is topmost on Inox’s expansion plan,” Tandon added.
Inox has four multiplexes in Kolkata (Inox Forum, Inox City Centre, Inox Swabhumi and Inox Rajarhat), one each in Darjeeling, Durgapur and Burdwan.
