The Jagan Mohan Reddy government’s order issued on Thursday allowing the theatres to increase the ticket price for watching the forthcoming mega film “RRR” directed by S S Rajamouli might have brought a lot of cheers to the film makers, but it has drawn a lot of criticism as well from a section of film critics.
According to the GO, the increase in ticket price by Rs 75 is applicable for all classes in the theatres all over Andhra Pradesh.
It does mean even the theatres in the villages and mandals can also increase the ticket prices by Rs 75 per ticket for the first 10 days.
As per the revised cinema ticket rates, the minimum ticket rate in non-AC theatre in the gram panchayats and nagar panchayats is Rs 20 plus Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Assuming that the GST for this category is Rs 5, the minimum ticket rates for watching the film is Rs 25.
Now, going by the latest GO, the increase of Rs 75 per ticket is applicable to all classes of theatres screening “RRR,” the audiences would have to shell down Rs 100 per a lower class ticket even in a non-AC theatre in the rural areas.
In the municipalities, the minimum ticket price for this Rajamouli film in non-AC theatres would be not less than Rs 115 and in the municipal corporation limits, it would be Rs 130, including taxes.
The maximum ticket price would range from Rs 175 in panchayats, Rs 200 in the municipalities and Rs 225 in municipal corporation limits, excluding GST. For recliner seats, it would be Rs 325 plus GST.
A film critic said this abnormal increase in ticket prices for all classes in the theatre is atrocious.
“It should have been confined to only upper classes, as the people can afford to spend a little more. How can a common viewer pay Rs 75 extra even for front rows?” he asked.
He said the earlier argument of the Jagan government that cinema should be made affordable to the common man has gone for toss, going by the latest GO.
Another film critic sought to know what criterion the government had followed to decide how much money the film makers had spent on RRR.
“Has the government committee gone by a self-certification given by the RRR film maker that they had spent Rs 300 crore on the film? Did the government conduct any audit on the production cost and does it have any break-up of the cost of the film and the remuneration paid to each star? Has the government gone through the income tax statements of the actors, producers and others involved in the film making?” he asked.