We have plenty of places to watch a movie outside of a cinema hall.
Now that the monsoon showers are over, open-air cinemas are gearing up to host movie screenings in and around India. We love the breezy evenings, twinkling lights, curling into soft cushions, and indulging in a community-watching experience – all with loads of good food. Here’s a listing of open-air cinemas and the food options they provide across India that you need to check out.
Sunset Cinema Club – Various Cities
Spread across seven cities, SCC’s open-air movie screenings are a complete vibe check with string and fairy lights, mattresses and bean bags, tents, and small tables. Screenings are held on mall roofs, lush golf courses, spacious amphitheatres, and other such open spaces. Numerous F&B options are available across venues, and viewers can also carry their own snacks at some of the locations. We recommend flavoured popcorn, banana chips, a carry bottle with rum and cola, and cheesecake.
Catch their Christmas line-up with classics like When Harry Met Sally, the Home Alone series, You’ve Got Mail, and more.
- You can play a personalised video or photo message during the screening for up to a minute.
- You can organise private screenings at some of the coolest venues for your group.
- You can get a free pass to all of the SSC screenings along with some other benefits if you join their club.
Find out more here.
DDX Cinemas – Shyamala Hills, Bhopal
Nestled near Shyamala Hills and two other locations across Bhopal, DDX Cinemas aims to diversify its movie-watching experience. This one in particular is Central India’s first drive-in cinema with a capacity of holding more than 100 cars. Plush recliners, an affordable cafeteria brimming with snacks and beverages, and supreme audio-visuals are at the forefront of their enhanced cinematic experience. You can catch new releases or some old classics based on the locations.
Find out more here.
Jio Drive-In – BKC, Mumbai
Jio World Drive offers a luxurious PVR Cinemas experience. It has one of the largest screens in India, with 4k projections, a superior outdoor sound system, and a radio service that can be connected to your car’s sound system. They screen new releases year-round, and also feature classics and regional films. The rooftop theatre holds 290 cars with four people allowed in each car. Tickets, food, and beverages can all be pre-booked online. The theatre is also lined with food trucks.
Find out more here.
Under the Stars Drive-in – Bengaluru
Bengaluru’s homegrown drive-in cinema, UTS, launched in 2017. It challenged the notion of a typical drive-in cinema. The team used to set up at a location for a few nights and disassemble everything after the screenings. UTS has started hosting screenings at backyards and rooftops, along with private den screenings decked with twinkling fairy lights, plush seating, and unlimited food and beverages. From date nights to family screenings, they do it all. Viewers can pick a movie of their choice. UTs’ open-air screenings have food trucks with some of their most popular items, such as Chinese food, BBQ, hotdogs, and burgers.
- They are pet-friendly and they also host bonfires.
- Their newest open-air venture is a movie night and an overnight stay at a lush green farmhouse.
- The host The Upper Deck movie nights screening a host of lovely movies tagged with gourmet food and artisanal brews. The last edition was in May, so keep your eyes peeled!
Find out more here.
Cine Wheels Drive-in by Windasa – Indore
Central India’s biggest open-air theatre, Cine Wheels, is located in Windasa, Indore. It houses one large screen and is currently screening only new releases. Customer reviews rave about the spacious property and delectable food. Cine Wheels has an in-built food court along with an Elite Club and Lounge facility. The space alters between a drive-in cinema and an open-air theatre with seats.
- Other than an open-air cinema, they host various live performances, movie premieres, and festivals, and are also available to hire for private screenings, corporate events, and private parties. Subscribe to their newsletter for more info.
- The drive-in theatre has recently introduced a Cine Wheels Passport, a prepaid movie subscription, that allows you to grab a certain number of free movies and tickets along with free popcorn and beverages.
Find out more here.
STBL Cine World – Vishakhapatnam
STBL Cine World harbours an open-air theatre (Balaji Drive-in Cinema), a drive-in theatre, and a container theatre (Balaji Village Cinema). The drive-in theatre is divided into two sections enabling viewers to either park cars or have a seat in their plush gallery to enjoy an evening of movie watching and snacking. Apart from its range of theatres, the STBL Cine World contains a drive-in restaurant, a “food zone”, and a gaming zone. The gaming zone provides a range of both indoor and outdoor games with a swimming pool, a bungee jumping area, and a kids’ car and bike arena.
Find out more here.
Moorthy’s Drive-in Theatre, Tiruchirappalli
With its massive screen and excellent soundtracking facility, Moorthy’s digital drive-in theatre boasts a separate viewing gallery for two-wheeler riders which can easily accommodate up to 100 people. The drive-in theatre has a massive food court and coffee shop spread over 10,000 square feet. There is also an indoor games lounge, and a kids’ playstation area. What distinguishes Moorthy’s is the way it lets viewers book drive-in tickets. The selection allows easy access to all sorts of vehicles, from hatchbacks to two-wheelers, as well as pedestrians.
Find out more here.