VIJAYAWADA: Even as the war of words over the proposal to sell movie tickets online continued, a senior minister on Wednesday revealed that megastar K Chiranjeevi has distanced himself from his brother and actor-politician Pawan Kalyan’s stand on the issue.
Speaking to the media after a meeting with a delegation of Telugu movie producers, Information and Public Relations Minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) said Chiranjeevi had spoken to him on Pawan’s remarks against the online ticketing plan at a recent film promotion event in Hyderabad.
“Chiranjeevi, who said he was shooting in Ooty, expressed regrets over whatever had happened in the function. He made it clear that the film industry is not sharing the views of an individual (Pawan Kalyan),’’ Nani said.
The minister met the media along with producer Dil Raju and others even as Jana Sena chief Pawan arrived in AP to attend a meeting of his political outfit. Nani said he had assured that the government would not consider the outburst of an individual as the voice of the industry. Online ticketing is not new, the minister said, adding that several private players have been selling movie tickets online.
“Selling movie tickets online is an old proposal and the film industry has given its consent for the same,” Nani reiterated. “Representatives of the industry have unanimously expressed their consent to sell tickets online. In fact, they themselves have stated that since 2004-2005, the industry has been demanding the same,” Nani said.
Jana Sena chief running party as tent house: Nani
Nani said the film industry wanted the government to consider increasing the ticket fare besides allowing a higher occupancy in theatres from the existing 50% since the Covid pandemic had hit the industry hard.
On Kalyan’s political statements, Nani said the JSP chief has been running his party as a tent house by putting his party up for “hire” to other organizations. Extending support to the government’s online ticketing plan, Dil Raju said the film industry should not be dragged into unnecessary politics. The other representatives also said the view of one individual should not be construed as that of the entire industry.