The uniform 28% entertainment tax under the GST (Goods and Services Tax) for cinema in Tamil Nadu was a ‘big punishment,’ actor Kamal Haasan said on Friday. He argued that it was unfair to equate regional cinema and Bollywood and Hollywood movies on the same platform and charge a uniform tax.
“The government shouldn’t forget that regional cinema has brought several laurels across international platforms for the country. It is unfair to expect either a Tamil or any other regional film which gets a big release only in a single State to be charged tax on a par with a Hindi or English movie that gets a countrywide release in several screens,” the actor said at a meeting organised by the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce.
L. Suresh, president of the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce, said the failure rate in Indian cinema was more than 90%.
