Hyderabad: A campaign to boycott popcorn in cinema halls is being taken up by a few Hyderabadis due to its exorbitant pricing. Apart from movie tickets and parking, popcorn rates have been increased at multiplexes. A medium sized pack is Rs 190 and a tub Rs 270.
Vendors say that GHMC cannot fix rates in multiplexes. Ms Lumin Jain of Begumpet said, “On November 2, moviegoers had argued with a popcorn vendor at PVR Cinemas. He was selling a small pack for Rs 210 and a tub for Rs 260. That is very expensive. Theatres don’t allow anything inside, not even water. During a two-three hour movie, it is obvious to have food, and popcorn is the basic snack during movies.”
“Henceforth, we have planned to have a meal and then watch a movie. The '210 for a medium pack is almost Re 1 for a single corn. It is the vendors who decide the price.”
"It is no less than a mafia, the actual cost of these packs of popcorn should be not more than Rs 50, that includes various other costs involved, and vendors can charge Rs 20 or Rs 30 more, but they are charging 300 per cent of the cost. One average show at one screen has at least 200 people and if 100 people buy this popcorn, they easily make Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 in one show; vendors are earning in lakhs per day,” added Mr Shashank Agarwal, a chartered accountant.
When the matter was taken up with the vendors, Mr Anup Soni, a vendor said, "As long as we have takers, we will charge.” Messages are being sent across social network platforms, asking moviegoers to stop purchasing popcorn unless the vendors bring down the prices. The GHMC has no role in fixing the prices of eatables and parking at multiplexes. It is purely between the owner of the building and the contractor.
