Even as confusion persists over the new ticket prices after the State government has allowed screen owners to increase the prices by 25 %, the maximum price has gone up to ₹205 in Tiruchi, which was almost double the earlier price in multiplexes. The maximum ticket price was ₹120 till a day prior to Deepavali.
While a section of theatres have not notified the new rates, a few theatres have put up boards on revision of ticket rates. Almost all multiplexes and air conditioned theatres have sold out tickets of the Vijay starrer “Mersal” up to Sunday with the revised pricing.
According to sources, maximum price of tickets in multiplexes is ₹205. It includes 36 % Goods and Services Tax (GST) and 8 % local body tax. The maximum ticket price in single screen fully A/C theatres and two screen theatres with online booking and high quality sound system was ₹126. The maximum price in ordinary A/C theatres was ₹110 under the revised rates.
Except one or two single screen theatres, most of multiplexes have preferred to sell tickets only online so as to make most of demand of Deepavali season that is expected to last till Sunday. There are complaints against some theatres of selling tickets through fan clubs.
The steep hike in prices of tickets has not gone down well with movie goers. “The hike is unreasonable and exorbitant. I had to shell out ₹1,000 towards tickets alone for five of my family members,” said a government official, who watched a movie in a multiplex in the city on Wednesday.
He said that no one could return without spending on snacks, water bottle and beverages. A family of four members would have to shell out at least another ₹200 on snacks. “If the new pricing scheme is allowed to continue, the percentage of people visiting theatres will come down,” he added.
While agreeing that new pricing is exorbitant, a theatre owner said it might click only for top stars - that too on weekends. It was not viable for movies starred by second and third line heroes and debutants.
A clear picture would emerge in the weeks to come. Multiplexes in Tiruchi would settle between ₹150 to ₹170.
