BookMyShow fined in Hyderabad over cancelled movie show

The Hyderabad District Consumer Commission ordered BookMyShow to pay Rs 10,000 compensation after a customer was not informed about a cancelled movie show.

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad District Consumer Commission-I has directed BookMyShow Live Private Limited to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation and Rs 2,000 towards litigation costs for failing to inform a customer about the cancellation of a movie show.

Case against BookMyShow

The case was filed by Narayanan Kuttigopalakrishnan, a resident of Kukatpally, who had booked a ticket through the BookMyShow app for the Malayalam fantasy film Barroz at the Cinepolis multiplex in Lulu Mall on January 1, 2025.

Upon arriving at the theatre, the complainant discovered that the scheduled show had been cancelled and another movie was being screened instead. Neither BookMyShow nor the theatre management had informed him in advance about the cancellation.

Aggrieved by the inconvenience, the customer approached the Consumer Commission seeking redressal.

BookMyShow’s arguments

During the proceedings, BookMyShow argued that it merely acts as an intermediary between customers and theatre operators. The company contended that decisions regarding movie screenings, show timings, cancellations, and schedule changes fall entirely within the jurisdiction of theatre management.

The ticketing platform also informed the Commission that it had refunded the full ticket amount of Rs 207.14 to the customer on the day following the complaint.

Ruling

After hearing both sides, the Consumer Commission held that once a ticket is booked through a platform, it bears the responsibility of informing customers if a show is cancelled. The Commission observed that failing to communicate the cancellation and allowing the customer to travel to the theatre amounted to a clear deficiency in service.

Accordingly, the Commission ordered BookMyShow to pay compensation of Rs 10,000 for the inconvenience caused and Rs 2,000 towards legal expenses