Director Teja is worried over depleting theatre footfalls with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman levying GST of 5 to 18% on varied forms of popcorn. “With new GST, the popcorn cost is going to rise and become unaffordable for a common man in multiplexes. While a pack of popcorn is sold for Rs 100 in single-screen theatres, the same is sold for over Rs 500 in multiplexes. Adding to that soft drinks and nachos would mean shelling out nearly Rs 1000 for a family which is quite exorbitant. It is pinching the pockets of middle-class moviegoers and youngsters. This is why they are staying away from theatres," he informs.
He also cites the example of Hindi cinema in Mumbai, where the exorbitant rates of food and beverages have forced audiences to stay away from theatres. “A top honcho of Mumbai-based multiplex openly claimed that they are happy to make more money in food and beverages over admission rates. Multiplexes believe in fewer numbers and more profits, while single screens believe in more footfalls and less profits in theatres.
Earlier, Telugu cinema survived in the two Telugu states due to affordable ticket and food pricing for families to turn up in theatres,” he points out. He further says, "Single screens boast of huge screens and terrific sound systems which give the audience a larger-than-life experience. Whereas, multiplexes cut down the size of the screens to add more theatres which also kills the excitement of the movie-watching experience," he points out.
The director who is known for his frankness, adds, “Recently, exhibitors had to shut down theatres due to low footfalls and audiences are also wary about food rates in multiplexes. The huge cost of popcorn and cool drinks in multiplexes is killing cinema and viewership too since snacks at multiplexes cost 4-5 times more than single-screen prices,.” he concludes.
