SC says pay to munch in cinemas, but leaves overpricing alone
The Supreme Court order barring movie-goers from carrying their food into a cinema hall has sought to strike a balance between the right of the theatre owner and the customer. It has observed that the movie-goer is likely to mess up the theatre, which is private property. The SC struck down the Jammu and Kashmir High Court order removing restrictions on movie-goers bringing in their food. It also allowed the theatre owners to fix the price of eatables and beverages with two exceptions: free water is to be provided, and food for infants is allowed in halls. The movie-goers are free to buy popcorn or go without it. It means that the movie-watching experience will remain elitist, with no caps on pricey popcorn, snacks and soft drinks. The bench did not address the fact that snacks and even water are shockingly overpriced in multiplexes, with taxes and rentals layered in. Until now, the Cinema Regulation Act of 1955, which regulates theatre screenings, did not stop anyone from carrying food and water in, but restrictions were placed by theatre owners, citing security and hygiene. This was reinforced by the SC’s humorous observations of jalebis, butter chicken and healthy food in the theatre.
Popcorn has made it to the court hall before. In 2018, the Bombay High Court ruled in favour of regulating popcorn’s price in movie theatres. It heard a PIL on the ban on outside food, and the Maharashtra government had promised to frame a policy. While the Covid pandemic hit theatres hard, leading to many shutting shops, there is now a revival in watching movies at the theatre, but under the looming shadow of OTT streaming services. In such a scenario, people should be encouraged to visit theatres, but highly-priced snacks remain a deterrent. This will likely remain the same in the near future, as the transition to multiplex screening has resulted in substantial operational costs. Stakeholders claim that food and beverage sales remain good and seek to market movie-watching as an enhanced experience. They are being aided by the SC’s ‘let them eat cake’ order, with popcorn costing around Rs 300 a tub. Overpricing remains a bane in elitist spaces like multiplexes and airports, where the presumption is that the customer/ passenger can afford it. Often, families with children and those who have a long wait in airports are forced to pay up.