Indian Man Wins Lawsuit Against Movie Theater for Showing Too Many Advertisements

Lesson made on February 26, 2025

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Reading Lesson:

A lawyer in India won a lawsuit against the country’s largest movie theater company, PVR INOX, after complaining that they showed too many ads before a movie. He bought three tickets to watch Sam Bahadur at a theater in Bangalore in 2023. The movie was supposed to start at 4:05pm and end at 6:30pm, but because of 25 minutes of commercials, it finished around 7pm. As a result, he missed an important work call scheduled for 6:30pm.

The lawyer argued that this was an “unfair trade practice” and sued the movie theater company. The court agreed with him and ordered PVR INOX to pay him 20,000 rupees ($230) in damages and 8,000 rupees ($92) for legal costs. The company was also required to pay 100,000 rupees ($1,148) to the Consumer Welfare Fund, a government organization that protects consumer rights.

The court stated that “time is very precious” and that 25 to 30 minutes of ads is a significant waste of time for busy people. PVR INOX defended itself by saying it was required to show 10 minutes of public service announcements, but most of the advertisements were actually for commercial products.

The lawyer said his efforts were worth it and hoped this case would encourage other businesses in India to value their customers’ time. His case gained attention in both Indian and international media.

Comprehension Questions:

1. The lawyer sued the movie theater company. What does “sue” mean?

a) To ask a company for a refund
b) To take someone to court for a problem
c) To write an angry email to a business
d) To stop going to a business as a protest

2. How long was the movie (without commercials)?

a) 1 hour and 15 minutes
b) 2 hours
c) 2 hours and 25 minutes
d) 3 hours and 10 minutes

3. What problem did the lawyer experience because of the long advertisements?

a) He arrived late to the movie.
b) He had to pay extra money for his ticket.
c) He was not able to buy snacks at the theater.
d) He missed an important work call.

4. Why did the lawyer sue PVR INOX?

a) The movie theater had poor customer service.
b) The movie theater charged too much for tickets.
c) The lawyer believed that too many ads wasted people’s time.
d) The lawyer wanted a free movie ticket.

5. What might be a future effect of this case?

a) Movie theaters in India may reduce the number of ads before films.
b) Movie theaters will give all customers free popcorn.
c) Indian courts will ban movie advertisements completely.
d) People will stop going to movie theaters.

6. Why did the court mention that “time is very precious”?

a) To remind businesses that customers’ time should be respected.
b) To explain why movies should not be longer than two hours.
c) To encourage people to stop watching movies.
d) To suggest that the lawyer should stop complaining.

7. Why did the lawyer believe his efforts were worth it?

a) He received a lot of money from the lawsuit.
b) He was offered a job at the movie theater.
c) He hoped it would encourage businesses to respect customers’ time.
d) He wanted to become famous.

8. What does this case tell us about the role of courts?

a) Courts help protect people from unfair business practices.
b) Courts only care about business interests.
c) Courts do not interfere with movie theaters.
d) Courts focus only on criminal cases.

9. Why did PVR INOX show so many ads?

a) To entertain customers before the movie.
b) To follow government regulations.
c) To earn money from advertisers.
d) To make movies longer.

10. What is the main idea of the article?

a) A lawyer missed an important meeting because he arrived late at a movie.
b) The Indian government banned movie advertisements in theaters.
c) Indian movies are often very long because they have too much dancing and singing.
d) A lawyer won a case against a movie theater company for showing too many ads.

Speaking and Writing Prompts:

– Discuss these questions with a partner or a small group.

– Choose one topic and write a response to it. Show your writing to a classmate or teacher.

1. When was the last time you went to a movie theater? Explain the story of the movie you saw.

2. What are some ways that too much advertising bothers you?

3. If you were in charge of a movie theater, what changes would you make to improve the experience for your customers?

More Reading Practice:

Sam Bahadur

“Sam Bahadur” is a movie about the life of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, a famous and respected leader in the Indian Army. The film shows his journey, from his early days to becoming one of India’s greatest military heroes. Sam Manekshaw, also called “Sam Bahadur” (which means “Sam the Brave”), was the first Indian Army officer to reach the highest rank of Field Marshal.

The movie focuses on his role in the 1971 war between India and Pakistan, which led to the creation of Bangladesh. It shows how his smart planning and strong leadership helped India win the war. The film also talks about his early life, his training, and the challenges he faced, including tough situations with politicians and personal struggles.

Are advertisements before movies longer than they used to be?

Yes, movie theaters now show longer commercials than they used to. Before the Coronavirus pandemic, 30-second ads were the norm, and 60-seconds was considered long. Now, ads can be two to four minutes long. These longer ads can air after the trailers and before the movie starts. Brands are using these longer ads to tell more complex stories. Movie theaters make money from ticket sales, food, drink, merchandising sales, and advertising revenue.

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