BIG Cinemas Goes To Chicago

BIG Cinemas, the exhibition division of Adlabs Films Limited, a member of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (RADAG), India's largest multiplex chain with 430 screens spread across India, US and Malaysia is opening its first BIG Cinemas branded cinema property in the US with a five-screen multiplex and one premium lounge.
BIG Cinemas-Golf Glen is located in Niles, Chicago.
BIG Cinemas-Golf Glen has a seating of 950 for the five-screen multiplex, along with the 60-seater premium lounge, all with top-of-the-line and high-end seats spread across 26, 549 sq. feet area. The multiplex will be digitally connected to Adlabs India. This would enable the films to be transported on fiber optic cable within 4-6 hours making the physical film prints usage history. It will play a mix of Hollywood, Indian, Polish and Korean films and will have stadium seating to enable live telecasts of cricket matches and other events.
BIG Cinemas-Golf Glen's will have a fully equipped kitchen (serving South Asian cuisine) and bar, which will be managed by one of Chicago's top award-winning restaurants - India House.
Commenting on this, Anil Arjun, Chief Executive Officer of Adlabs Films, said: "The Chicago launch is in keeping with our vision to establish a strong foothold for BIG Cinemas worldwide in markets which have an appetite for Indian cinema. BIG Cinemas has a significant presence in the US with 170 screens and contributes 25% of the box office for Hindi Films and over 65% for Tamil and Telugu films released in the US.
"This multiplex at Niles, Chicago is part of BIG Cinema's strategy to actively promote and ensure better reach of Indian movies."
Over 1,000 special guests are expected to attend the launch on May 29. From time to time, this multiplex will also screen Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi and Punjabi films.
Recently, Adlabs announced the launch of its Media BPO services which will be one of the world's largest comprehensive digital restoration and content processing services facilities. Spread over 90,000 sq ft, it will employ 1200 employees within a year and will comply with MPAA (Motion Pictures Association of America) standards. The BPO is aimed at providing a comprehensive one point solution for the transition from Analog to Digital and Physical Media to Digital Data. The BPO has recently obtained a prestigious order for digitisation and digital restoration of 1,000 films preserved by the National Film Archive of India (NFAI), Pune, a media unit of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India.
(KMcA/BMcC)