The Karnataka authorities has re-introduced a cap on cinema ticket costs at Rs 200, together with leisure tax, for “all language movies” in theatres, together with multiplexes, prompting netizens to ask this one query – why not put an analogous cap on important providers and merchandise.
The choice to cap film ticket costs follows an announcement by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in his funds speech, the place he highlighted the necessity to standardise ticket pricing. This may encourage extra audiences to look at Kannada and different language movies in theatres.
Whereas many have welcomed this transfer as a deal with for moviegoers, many have additionally questioned the state authorities’s priorities.
“If they’ll cap motion pictures which aren’t a necessity, why cannot they cap college charges that are important? Is it as a result of most politicians have instructional institutes?” requested a person on social media, whereas one other added that capping costs of film tickets at Rs 200 may very well be the “finish of the cinema business in Karnataka”.
One other person identified that “prescribed drugs and hospital expenses, diagnostic providers and lab assessments, and training – tutoring and training charges” must also be capped as these are certainly important. “However there is no such thing as a effort to cap minimal expenses of autos and fare expenses of cabs in ride-hailing apps. Why?” requested yet one more person.
Whereas some identified that multiplexes wouldn’t conform to this with no battle, some additionally stated that motion pictures received’t see massive field workplace collections anymore.
The Karnataka authorities formally carried out a pricing cap on cinema tickets by means of an modification to the Karnataka Cinemas (Regulation) Guidelines, 2014. The brand new sub-rule states that ticket costs shouldn’t exceed Rs 200, together with leisure tax, for any language movie screened within the state. This resolution goals to handle complaints about excessive ticket costs in multiplexes.
Earlier makes an attempt to implement an analogous cap in 2017 throughout Siddaramaiah’s first tenure confronted challenges. Multiplex house owners raised considerations about income losses and contested the choice within the Karnataka Excessive Court docket, which led to the cap being lifted. It stays to be seen how multiplexes will reply to the present order.
The current order, issued on July 15, was signed by the state undersecretary to the federal government within the prisons and cinema part of the Dwelling Division. The Karnataka Movie Chamber of Commerce and the Karnataka Movie Exhibitors Affiliation have expressed their assist for the cap. They consider it would assist entice extra audiences to theatres for Kannada movies, regardless of previous opposition from multiplex chains.
