Karnataka: Cinema ticket cap in force, but just not enough
The officials, however, maintain that the capping of price will benefit a large section of the audience.
BENGALURU: The state government on Tuesday made it official the order capping the maximum price of movie tickets in all theatres, including multiplexes, at Rs 200.
However, the maximum price would not include taxes, including entertainment tax which is 30 per cent, apart from other taxes.
It further added that the order comes with certain conditions, making it clear that it does not apply to 'Gold Class Screens', Gold Class Seats (a maximum of 10% in each screen). The order will also not apply to IMAX and 4DX. These two advanced technologies based services, which requires a lot of investment, has been exempt.
"The order comes into immediate effect. Hence 90 per cent of the seats in a screen will henceforth price at Rs 200 excluding tax and only 10 per cent of the premium seats will be allowed to the theatre owners or the multiplex theatres to be price beyond Rs 200. As of now, not all single screen theatres have the premium seat facilities. They will now be permitted to upgrade to premium seats of about 10 per cent of their total seating capacities, "said an official of Karnataka Information Department. An exhibitor said that as per the new rule Rs 200 plus the tax would come to around Rs 260.
Hence, the audience will still have to spend more than Rs 250 per ticket across all theatres and multiplexes, which is high when compared to cinema halls in neighbouring states where the ticket price, including all taxes, do not exceed Rs 200, he added. In addition, moviegoers who book tickets in advance will still have to pay the additional Internet handling charges, which start from Rs 35 at present.
The officials, however, maintain that the capping of price will benefit a large section of the audience.