MUMBAI: Indian real estate major DLF Group is planning to step up on its cinema exhibition business through its wholly owned subsidiary – DT Cinemas.

Plans are to add 200 screens to the DT brand in the next two years at an approximate cost of Rs 5 billion (Rs 500 crores), which will cover the major cities across India. In the first phase spanning the next eight to nine months, plans are to complete work on 35 – 40 screens across the country.

Refuting media claims that international players like Warner Brothers would be part of the expansion bid, DT Cinemas CEO Kajal Eijaz says, “We are planning to build more screens across cities in India and in the first phase we will be completing work on 35 – 40 screens in the next eight-nine months.”

DT Cinemas is headed by Pia Singh as managing director and is the daughter of DLF owner K.P Singh. DT Cinemas set up its first multiplex at the DLF City Centre in Gurgaon in March 2003. Plans are afoot to set up multiplexes in major Indian metros and mini-metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Noida, Gurgaon, Pune, Goa, Ludhiana, Chandigarh and Kochi.