The Karnataka Government on Tuesday imposed a cap of Rs 200 on movie tickets in theatres and multiplexes across the state excluding taxes.
“A movie ticket for all films in theatres and multiplexes across the state will be priced at Rs 200 maximum, said an order issued by Kannada Culture and Information Department Joint Secretary S.N. Jaysri. The order will come in place from Wednesday.
Ticket for Kannada films are likely to be Rs 203, with Rs 3 service tax and zero entertainment tax, while the maximum ticket price for non-Kannada films will be Rs 264, including Rs 60 entertainment tax and Rs 4 service tax.
“Tickets for Kannada films in all theatres and multiplexes will be only Rs 203 from Wednesday, as they are exempted from entertainment tax,” said Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) President Sa Ra Govindu at a press meet here.
The order, however, excludes Gold Class screen and Gold Class seats in the multiplexes from the Rs 200 cap for non-Kannada films.
Multiplexes charge from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 a ticket for Gold Class screen and Gold Class seats to exhibit non-Kannada films and Rs 350-500 a ticket for Kannada films.
The order also does not apply to IMAX and 4D screen theatres, which provide immersive audio/video experience to moviegoers.
“The ticket price at multiplexes will be Rs 264 for non-Kannada films as the order is on the net amount collected on the tickets,” former KFCC President K.V. Chandrasekhar told IANS.
The order is in light of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announcing the state budget for this fiscal that movie tickets even in multiplexes will be Rs 200 maximum.
Of the 600 single-screen theatres and 40 multiplexes across the southern state, about 60 theatres and 30 multiplexes are in Bengaluru.
A theatre has about 600 seats, while each multiplex, where screens range from two to 10, has 200 seats for every screen.
The state government was under pressure from Kannada organisations to cap movie tickets in multiplexes to Rs 200 so that a common man can afford to watch Kannada or non-Kannada films even in the luxury of a multiplex in the state.
A 14-member committee, headed by filmmaker and Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy Chairman S.V. Rajendra Singh Babu recommended the cap on the movie ticket prices.