Digital theatre chain enters K'taka

Chennai-based Pyramid Saimira, a networked digital theatre chain operator, plans to invest Rs 40 crore and have 200 screens operational by end of this year in Karnataka.

At present, it operates 150 screens, of which 120 are in Tamil Nadu and the rest in Mumbai, Delhi and other cities. Its turnover is Rs 1 crore.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, V Natarajan, chairman of the company, said that to achieve this, the company planned to lease theatres, convert them into digital technology and introduce two-way broadband connectivity via satellite.

Films converted into the digital format can be broadcast from the master control facility, received by a dish installed atop a theatre and exhibited in it.

These digital theatres are mainly planned for tier II & tier III cities in Karnataka. For major cities, Pyramid Saimira has plans for a total family outing experience which will include food stalls.

These digital theatres are positioned in the space in between traditional single screen film theatres and multiplexes.

Natarajan said the company's entry into Karnataka would help revive Kannada films and increase revenues for producers, exhibitors and distributors.

It has also initiated moves to provide a digital platform and create infrastructure for government and socially-oriented projects free of cost.

P S Saminathan, managing director of Pyramid Saimira, said, "We seek to upgrade existing single screen theatres. We will also maintain a digital library of high and low-value films which will enable us to play any type of content in any theatre in the chain depending on the demand of movie goers."