BENGALURU: Finally, cheaper tickets are here in the time of Baahubali. The state government on Tuesday evening issued the order putting the Rs 200 cap on price of tickets of all language movies. The move, announced in the state budget, aims to ensure that multiplexes and theatres don’t exploit movie buffs by charging exorbitant rates.
The order issued by S N Jayashri, Under Secretary to Government, Department of Kannada, Culture and Information, said maximum entry fee to be charged by multiplexes and all single screen theatres across the state per person will be Rs 200, excluding tax. This will apply to all language movies with immediate effect, said an official.
In multiplexes, the ticket price with tax will now be around Rs 260. However, the uniform price will not apply for the gold class screen and gold class seats (not exceeding 10 per cent of total seats) of multiplexes. IMAX and 4DX theatres are also excluded from uniform price.
The uniform price is being fixed following the proposal submitted by the director of Information and Public Relations on April 19, seeking implementation of uniform entry fee policy announced by chief minister Siddaramaiah in the budget 2017-18.
The order also specified that any one of the screens in multiplexes must mandatorily show Kannada and regional language movies between 1.30 pm and 7.30 pm.
The order was issued at a time when multiplexes and theatres were accused of charging steep prices for tickets for Baahubali-2: The Conclusion that was released last week. Even Siddaramaiah, his son and grandson watched the movie at a multiplex by paying Rs 1,000 for each ticket on Monday. contd on: P4
The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) and producers have welcomed the move. Sundar P Gowdru, producer of Maasti Gudi which is set to hit the screens on May 12, said it is a good move to encourage Kannada movies as entire families will now go out to enjoy movies at multiplexes. “Since ticket prices were very high, even people with good income were hesitant to spend money on watching movies at multiplexes,” he said.
KFCC President Sa Ra Govindu said this order should have been come a little early, from April 1 itself. Multiplex owners said they will comment after getting the order in hand. When asked if tickets already booked will get a refund, they said they will release a statement later.
Though the state maintained that the order will come into effect on Tuesday night, an employee of a multiplex said they are yet to receive the copy of the GO. The same is likely to be implemented from Thursday or Friday.
WHAT IT MEANS
Ticket price per person will come to B260, including tax
Gold class, and IMAX and 4DX theatres are exempt
Order is immediate but multiplexes say it may be implemented from Thursday
One multiplex screen must show only Kannada/regional movies, daily from 1.30pm-7.30pm