When news of PVR acquiring SPI broke, Chennai almost went berserk - everyone's primary concerns were - Would the popcorn remain the same? Would the Chennai movie-going experience change forever? But we might not have to fret too much, according to a letter penned by the CEO of SPI cinemas, Kiran Reddy "SPI cinemas will continue to be what it has always been".
While the country itself favours cinema quite a bit, almost no other city even comes close to how much Chennai obsesses over its cinema. When cinema is so close to our hearts, it's only natural that the cinema-going experience is sacred too, which is why when Chennai's most favourite Sathyam Cinemas was acquired by the less favourite PVR, the city was heartbroken. But Reddy's letter might just un-break a few of those hearts because she made sure to mention that the popcorn would remain the same!
Established in 1999, SPI has over the years created a brand that is almost synonymous to Chennai which is why Reddy doesn't fail to mention that the core team of Sathyam will continue to be an integral part of the venture. "The core SPI team led by Swaroop and I, will continue to nurture and shape your experiences by preserving everything you love about us - from the people to the food to our commitment to excellence, all of it will remain intact."
Thanking Chennai for their constant support, she made sure she acknowledged the city's love for their popcorn, "From your love for our popcorn and cold coffee, to your outrage if things didn't go our way, SPI Cinemas could've never been what it is today without you. And for this, we are forever grateful." Sathyam promises to continue being "passionate, pioneering and inclusive".
Mind you, don't think that the popcorn is in any way overrated - it is one of the very few places where you get to add different kinds of masalas and as much as you want of it! Besides the popcorn though, there is also the customer-friendly pricing, the extra leg space and of course, just the charm of the place!
Speaking about the deal with PVR, Reddy said,"While it's only natural for you to wonder what this means for brand SPI, we want to let you know that this decision is not solely a business decision but one that is based on the larger picture. Our intent is to combine best practices and learnings from two successful brands and use our combined strength to really, truly transform your movie-going experience, at scale. We are confident that this marks the dawn of a new chapter - one filled with unlimited possibilities that will truly elevate your movie-going experiences."
The CEO signed off by with the words - "As always, we look forward to seeing you at the movies!" Well, the city might remain a little jittery till we actually see that nothing has changed and if it has, then only for the better.
