VIJAYAWADA: The ongoing row over slashing of movie ticket fares by the Andhra Pradesh government reached another level with Tollywood actor Nani, whose film Shyam Singha Roy is scheduled to hit the screens on Friday, calling the move “illogical and an insult to the audience” and in response Municipal Administration and Urban Minister Botcha Satyanarayana saying the government does not intend to insult the audience but to benefit them.
“Every article that is sold has a MRP and movie tickets should also have one,’’ Botcha remarked. Asked about the ticket price issue in Andhra Pradesh, Nani, while interacting with the media in Hyderabad a day before the release of his much-awaited movie, said, “What is happening is not right. We all know it. I don’t know how to put it. But put aside the thoughts of cinemas, politicians etc aside but you are insulting the audience.’’
Nani went on to say, “Today, somewhere, I saw (the ticket rates) are Rs 10, Rs 15, Rs 20. It does not make sense.’’ Explaining further, Nani said “Imagine, if I was in a school and the management takes the students for a picnic and asks all the students to pay Rs 100 and asks me to pay only Rs 10 as I am incapable of spending such an amount, its an insult to me.’’
Asked about his response to Nani’s remarks, Botcha said the government has taken a policy decision and if anyone has any objection to it, they should represent the government and the government would try to resolve it.
“Watching movies is entertainment and people should not feel it as a burden. Entertainment should be in the purview of the common man,’’ the minister said. Botcha said that the remarks of a film actor that the government is insulting the audience is not true.