AP to soon sell cinema tickets online: Perni Venkataramaiah

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh government will soon start online sale of cinema tickets in the state. This has become a reality after all stakeholders, including producers, distributors and exhibitors, have expressed a unanimous view on the issue.

Announcing this to media on Monday, information minister Perni Venkataramaiah said such a proposal had surfaced in 2002 itself. Several committees had been set up to take up an extensive study on this matter. But the proposal could not be implemented in the state for varied reasons.

The minister assured that the government will fix rates of online tickets in a transparent manner. Agencies like Paytm and BookMyShow, which are selling cinema tickets online at present on certain screens, are planning to introduce the service for all theatres through a government agency.

Venkataramaiah disclosed that a meeting has been held with representatives from Telugu film industry, which has come up with a series of suggestions while also expressing several problems that may crop up. He assured that these matters will be brought to notice of the state government and resolved amicably.

In a related development, film producer Adi Seshagiri Rao said there used to be 1,800 film theatres earlier. At present, there are only 1,200 of them, out of which 500–600 are yet to be opened owing to high operational costs. These include high power tariff, payment of salaries to staff and rise in diesel prices. Seshagiri Rao said these issues had been brought to the notice of the minister concerned, who has responded positively.

Another film producer C. Kalyan said AP government is supporting Telugu film industry and he is planning to resume shooting films in Andhra Pradesh soon.