10th May 2024 PVR INOX, the largest and the most premium cinema exhibitor in India is proud to announce its association with The National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) to co-host a pan-India first-day first show of the much-anticipated film “Srikanth”. The groundbreaking movie, set to release in cinemas on 10th May 2024, marks a significant milestone as “Srikanth” becomes the first all-inclusive Hindi film, that not only has more than 70 actors with disabilities in its star cast but is also available in accessible formats for the Visually and Hearing impaired; in compliance with the recent mandate by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Having started its journey to make its cinemas accessible for people with disabilities in 2018; PVR INOX is celebrating the advent of accessible movies in the country of this special show at just Rs. 99 per person.

Srikanth is a Hindi-language biographical film on the life of Srikanth Bolla, a visually-impaired Indian industrialist and the founder of Bollant Industries. It is directed by Tushar Hiranandani and stars Rajkummar Rao in the eponymous role with Jyothika, Alaya F, and Sharad Kelkar. Srikanth is a powerful narrative that beautifully portrays the resilience of people with disabilities. This resonates deeply with NCPEDP, India’s leading cross-disability advocacy organization dedicated to creating a more inclusive and accessible society. Patrons can book tickets for the special screening of “Srikanth” for the 10 AM Show on May 10 @ INR 99 through the PVR App, INOX App, PVR Website, and INOX Website.

Commenting on the collaboration, Mr. Gautam Dutta, CEO- Of revenue and Operations, PVR INOX Ltd. said, “Hosting the special screening of ‘Srikanth,’ India’s first all-inclusive Hindi movie having actors with disabilities and releasing with Audio Description for the Visually Impaired and subtitles for Hearing Impaired, being screened in our wheelchair-friendly cinemas is a significant milestone for us. We are delighted to collaborate with National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) to curate a first-day show of this inspirational movie embracing individuals from diverse backgrounds and abilities. At PVR INOX, we are deeply committed to creating inclusive and accessible cinematic experiences for patrons with locomotor disabilities, visual impairment, and hearing impairment.”

PVR embarked upon its Accessible Cinema program in early 2018. This involved a careful evaluation of various kinds of constraints that differently-abled people faced and finding solutions to enable them to enjoy films. Cinemas, since then have been made accessible for people with locomotor disabilities either by design or with the help of assistive equipment, removable seats have been installed to accommodate persons who are unable to move from their wheelchairs. For the hearing impaired, we have been making sub-titled shows easily discoverable on all booking platforms.

However, the company continued to face challenges for the visually impaired since even though there existed an arrangement with a Technology Company to stream audio descriptions through their app XL Cinema, there were no audio-described films except those done by NGOs, etc. However, with the Government’s latest ruling, doors have opened up for accessible entertainment in the country.

Speaking about the partnership, Mr. Arman Ali, Executive Director, National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) said, “Our partnership with PVR INOX for the exclusive screening of ‘Srikanth’ is a pivotal moment in our mission to promote equality for people with disabilities in all spheres of life. We appreciate PVR INOX’s proactive measures in enhancing accessibility in movie content and theatre infrastructure, thereby promoting broader inclusivity. Over the past 25 years, NCPEDP has been a staunch advocate for addressing the concerns of disabled individuals through a rights-based and gender-sensitive approach. We take pride in the government’s acknowledgment of the necessity for cinema accessibility standards, which open up the theatrical experience to a demographic that was previously excluded.”