multiplexes in Delhi/NCR

Gone are the days when you could enjoy movie sitting in the balcony or do a cost cutting by watching a movie in the front row. Multiplexes are everywhere. Every seat from the back to the front row are priced same.

So, it becomes really important to figure out where you want to watch your movie.

This blog would majorly focus on the few major cinema chains in Delhi/NCR - PVR, Fun Cinemas, Waves, JAM, Satyam Cineplexes, Adlabs and DT cinemas. Too many of them.

PVR has a lot of branches in and around Delhi. And it is the oldest cinema chain. I have been to PVR Priya, PVR Saket, PVR Naraina, PVR in gurgaon and my neighborhood Spice PVR in noida. The good thing about PVR is that it offers luxury and the staff is well trained. I have never had any discomfort while watching movies at PVR. But at most PVR movie halls, the screens are small. And sometimes it feels more like a home theater than a movie hall.

Regarding Fun Cinemas & DT Cinemas, I have been there once or twice only. And i dont recall anything odd about them. Satyam cineplexes - have been there (patel nagar) once (got a free ticket from somewhere). The only thing I recall is that the seats were extermely uncomfortable and small. And the staff is not that great.

Waves(Noida) is great. I specially like the 0.1 & 0.2 halls which are extremely large. The screen is good and the seats extremely comfortable. I have also been to Waves-Kaushambi, but it sucks badly. Mostly because the mall does not have any other shops and there is nothing else to do.

The best cinema among all of them is ofcourse JAM multiplex. The good thing about JAM is that the seating arrangement is in a curve. So you can see the whole hall without much exercise. And ofcourse the screens are large and seating very comfortable. Though there is no online booking available for JAM. I generally prefer to go to Waves-Noida or JAM.

And then there is ADLABS. The only good thing about ADLABS is the iMax hall in Pacific Mall near kaushambhi. This hall has a huge no enormous screen where if you watch a movie, you actually feel like a part of the movie. Watching 3D movies on the screen is also very entertaining. But that's the only good thing about ADLABS. The seats are very uncomfortable and narrowly placed. The prices of almost all adlabs cinemas are very high. And i have had 2-3 bad experiences with ADLABS.

1. I booked tickets in the last row assuming hoping for better view. But in pacific mall the last and second last row are at the same height. So, if you are sitting in the last row, you would not be able to view the movie unless you stand up or peek from between seats. I was with family - if i would have been with friends, i would have simply sat on the steps to watch the movie.

2. ADLABS Noida(TGI Mall) is the worst one of all. The prices here are extremely steep. When i went there to see a movie for the first time, the movie started 1 hour late. The croud there was furious and the management was no-where to be seen.

3. Another incident at ADLABS Noida which happened with my friend was that when he went to see "U Me aur Hum". There were only 5 people in the hall, so the management canceled the show and ran "tashan" instead. Even i was shocked when i heard this. I dont know how far would they go with this attitude. I have seen movies at PVR when only 5-8 people were there. And i have never heard of a show being canceled to run another show. PVR or any other cinema halls, do not run the show if they do not have an audience. But ADLABS is too much i think.

With more and more multiplexes opening up, there would be a competition between them for service and price. ADLABS would lose on the price front and if they continue this behavior, they may also lose on the service front - a total loss.

And then there is another very good thing about ADLABS Noida - the ebony launge which has couple seats. Here the service is good (though i have been there only once). I still have to explore the Gold class in PVR Spice and the SKY Box in Satyam Cineplexes in Nehru place.