Cinema ticket prices likely to come down in Andhra

Vijayawada: Here is some exciting news for movie buffs from Andhra Pradesh. There are likely to get relief from the high prices they have to shell down for cinema tickets as the State Government has constituted a committee with Special Chief Secretary (Revenue) as Chairman and Principal Secretary (Home) as Member-Convener to study and recommend classification of theatres in the state and to fix prices accordingly.

Cinema-goers have been unhappy over the hike in prices of tickets and they felt that the exhibitors increased prices during holiday season on one pretext or the other. The committee will consider various parameters like cities, towns, big villages, AC and Non AC theatres for floor to balcony classes.

The formation of the committee is the result of the AP High Court ruling. It also includes Principal Secretary (MA&UD), Principal Secretary (Finance), Commissioner and Ex-Officio Secretary (I&PR) and Secretary (Law).

The Principal Secretary (Home) is the Member-Convener of the committee shall take further necessary action in convening the meeting at the earliest to finalize the issue in accordance with High Court orders and submit the report to the government within 10 days

In Andhra Pradesh, there are around 850 screens.

K Swaroop, an advocate said that multiplexes charge Rs 250 per person and the single screen halls charge Rs 120 to Rs 150 during holidays. “Apart from the cinema tickets, we have to shell out more money during intermission for snacks, which sell at rates well over the MRP”.

Since entertainment (in the forms of cinema) has turned costly affair, the state government has to fix the prices of tickets and also to take action against managements selling beverages at high prices, said A Kiran Kumar from Vizag.