Cinépolis India, Country's first international film exhibitor, has decided to pump around Rs 800 crore in southern India for setting up multiplexes across the four states.

The move will make Cinepolis' first largest presence outside Mexico. The company plans to open around 500 screens, out of which 50 per cent of will be in the southern cities, in the next seven years. According to a company official, most of the funds would be utilized for rentals and in developing screens.

Cinépolis India is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cinépolis, the world's 5th largest movie theater circuit, operating more than 2,000 screens in 6 countries and serving more than 100 million patrons annually.

Presently, Cinépolis India is in talks with 200 mall developers and had signed up for around 110 screens in eight cities, of which 62 per cent are in the south. It would commence operations by the second half of 2009. The company's first screen is scheduled to be launched in November at Amristar.