How these ‘balloon theatres’ are taking cinema to India’s small towns-OxBig News Network

The Lumière brothers’ 1896 short silent documentary The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station, one of the earliest films ever screened, is linked to a famous legend. The story goes that when audiences first saw the moving image of a life-sized train rushing towards them, they panicked, screamed, and even fled to the back of the room. Writing in Der Spiegel, German journalist Hellmuth Karasek noted that the film “had a particularly lasting impact; yes, it caused fear, terror, even panic.” Some, however, have questioned the veracity of this incident, including film scholar Martin Loiperdinger, who called it cinema’s “founding myth.”

A similar story lives on in Bommidi, a small town in Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri district. Anbutheeban, the founder of the Adi Dravidar Sangam and editor of the local film monthly Vaanam, recalls a time, four or five decades ago, when cinema was a rare luxury in the region. “We had an ola kotta,” the elderly gentleman reminisces, referring to the makeshift theatres with thatched roofs. “There were three seating classes — thara (floor), bench, and chair. People from 30 to 40 neighbouring villages would occasionally gather for screenings, though many had never encountered cinema before.”

One night, a film featured a car speeding directly towards the camera. Mistaking it for reality, the audience seated on the floor stood up and waved their veshtis frantically at the screen, as if trying to stop the vehicle. “It was a sight to behold,” Anbutheeban chuckles.

To this very town has now arrived what locals are calling the “balloon theatre.” On March 27, Picture Time, in association with MFR Cinemas, launched Tamil Nadu’s first Mobile Digital Movie Theatre (MDMT).

Innovative tech

According to Arun S of MFR Cinemas, some locals have concerns about the ‘balloon theatre.’ Would it deflate, catch fire, or burst? “We call it a balloon theatre because it’s catchy and easy to remember, but it’s not a literal balloon,” he explains. The structure is built using AEIE (Acoustics Enabled Inflated Enclosure), Picture Time’s custom-made, patent-pending inflatable system constructed from thermoplastic polyurethane. “It is fire-resistant and weather-resistant, making it perfectly safe,” Arun assures.

MDMT is designed for ease of setup and dismantling, making it highly portable. According to Picture Time’s founder and CEO, Sushil Chaudhary, there are two variants: ‘portable’ and ‘mobile’. “The portable screen, like the one in Bommidi, is designed so that every component is movable. It required no construction or civil engineering, except for the washrooms. We can relocate the entire theatre within 10 days. We also require fewer permissions.”

The mobile variant, on the other hand, is a vehicle-mounted screen capable of transforming any open space into a 120-140 seat air-conditioned cinema in just three hours. This flexibility allows them to bring the big-screen experience to rural and underserved areas with minimal infrastructure requirements. 

A Mobile Digital Movie Theatre in Ladakh
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The team prioritises high-quality projection and sound. “Good sound requires good acoustics, which is difficult to achieve with portability. Fixed locations can optimise acoustics, but for a mobile setup, we needed a different approach. That’s why we designed an inflatable system where the walls handle acoustic requirements,” Sushil explains. The Bommidi theatre includes an additional acoustic wall, costing ₹20 lakh, to enhance the multiplex experience as per the local partner MFR Cinema’s request.

“Despite not being a fixed structure, our portable theatres can have a long lifespan up to 15 years with proper upkeep,” adds Sushil. 

Bringing cinema to all

Sushil’s vision addresses India’s severe screen shortage. “Despite producing around 2,000 films annually, only about 500 get released,” he says, “Six states, including the five southern states and Maharashtra, account for 80% of India’s cinema screens.”

In contrast, the US has 45,000 screens for 315 million people, while China expanded from 7,000 to 80,000 screens in just over a decade, he adds. Meanwhile, India’s screen count has dropped from 21,000 in 1983 to fewer than 9,000 today. “High real estate prices and regulatory challenges are major hurdles,” Sushil explains, “Portable, mobile cinema solutions can bypass these obstacles without sacrificing quality.”

His goal is ambitious: expanding from 9,000 to 90,000 screens in a decade. “If we can build a cinema for under ₹1 crore, with operational costs below ₹2 lakh, it becomes a high-ROI project,” he says. This would democratise cinema access and ensure more films get theatrical releases.

Inside Bommidi’s Mobile Digital Movie Theatre
| Photo Credit:
Shibu Narayan

However, Picture Time’s journey has not been without setbacks. “Before COVID-19, we had 37 portable screens,” Sushil recalls. “When the pandemic hit, most were converted into ICU units and healthcare facilities. Many hospitals found them so useful that they requested to keep them permanently.” Post-pandemic, they have rebuilt 15 portable theatres, with a 16th opening soon. It also has six mobile screens.

The MDMT concept is also transforming cinema access in extreme locations. For example, in Ladakh, where temperatures drop to -28°C, the company designed a weather-resistant screen. “It’s been running successfully for four years,” says Sushil.

Meanwhile, back in Bommidi, there is some buzz about the ‘balloon theatre’. Murugan R, who runs an oil store in the town, says, “For a long time, Kavitha Theatre was our only option. But this balloon theatre, they say the sound is good, the picture incredibly clear, and the interiors like multiplexes in cities. It’s quite something for our town. I haven’t had the chance to go yet, but I’m definitely planning to.”