REVEALED: YRF’s Saiyaara and War 2 could have been released VPF-free! CCI order reveals ASTONISHING clause in PVR INOX deals : Bollywood News
Controversy arose recently when the creators of Happy LLB 3 refused to pay Virtual Printing Fee (VPF). This led to PVR Inox halting advance booking of the Akshay Kumar-Arshad Warsi starrer, sending shockwaves through the industry. The manufacturers eventually made the payment, but they made it clear they were doing so in protest. Two weeks later, on September 30, 2025, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) initiated an investigation against PVR INOX Limited for allegations of abuse of dominant position by continuing to levy Virtual Print Fee (VPF) on film producers. The judgment also confirmed the fact that the producers of Happy LLB 3Viacom 18 and Yash Raj Films had entered into separate agreements with PVR Inox and if all had gone well, they would have been exempted from paying VPF for their films releasing from 2025 onwards.
REVEALED: YRF’s Saiyaara and War 2 Could Have Been Released Without VPF! ICC order reveals STUNNING clause in PVR INOX agreements
According to statements by the Film and Television Producers’ Guild of India, PVR INOX entered into agreements with YRF and Viacom that included “sunset clauses”, i.e. agreements to phase out VPF payment by December 2024. This effectively meant that these two influential studios would no longer be burdened with VPF fees, while hundreds of small and medium producers continued to pay fees for each film shown on PVR screens. The Producers Guild argued that this practice was blatantly discriminatory, creating a two-tiered system in which only a privileged few benefited, leaving the rest of the industry at a disadvantage.
In its reply, Producers’ Guild pointed out that such deals highlighted how PVR used its dominant market position to favor powerful production houses while denying similar concessions to others. This, she said, directly contravened provisions of the Competition Act, which prohibits companies from imposing unfair and discriminatory conditions.
PVR, however, defended its conduct. She told the CCI that the sunset clauses for YRF and Viacom had not yet been implemented and were still subject to renegotiation. He said Yash Raj and Viacom are only eligible for sunset clauses if they stop paying VPF to other DCE operators/providers. She further claimed that these concessions were only being offered because competing exhibitors such as Cinepolis were in talks with the same studios. As a result, PVR risked losing its films if it did not comply with these conditions. As such, PVR argued that it was acting to “face competition”, which under the Act cannot be treated as discriminatory.
The CCI’s findings had repercussions in the cinema sector. In its order, the Commission observed prima facie evidence of discriminatory behavior on the part of PVR INOX, noting that even though major studios like Yash Raj Films and Viacom18 had negotiated special “sunset clause” deals to phase out the controversial VPF, hundreds of small producers were still being charged for each release. Interestingly, had these agreements been implemented, the 2025 versions of YRF, Saiyaara And War 2could have benefited from releases without VPF, unlike most Indian films which continue to bear the cost. Calling for a level playing field in film exhibition, the CCI has now ordered its Director General for a thorough investigation into the conduct of PVR INOX, a move which has once again reignited the industry-wide debate on the fairness and transparency of the virtual printing fee system.
Also Read: Saiyaara Star Ahaan Panday Lights Up A Classroom In Mumbai With Smiles, Songs And Dreams; see the photos!
More pages: Saiyaara Box Office Collection, Saiyaara Movie Review
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