Watching a film at a multiplex is expensive business. The cost of tickets, parking and snacks adds up to a hefty sum. Now, there is reason to cheer for movie-goers.
The Karnataka Government issued an order on July 2 regulating the rate of food sold at multiplexes. Directions have also been issued to licensing authorities to ensure multiplex authorities sell drinking water and snacks (including branded products) at MRP.
In July 2018, the Karnataka Government decided to allow people to carry food and water into multiplexes. However, BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, who held the Food and Civil Supplies portfolio, failed to act even after promising to convene a meeting of multiplex representatives and officials.
Tanmayi Purohit, a cinema-goer, had to fight with the management to carry drinking water inside a multiplex in the city.
An official in the Department of Commercial taxes says cases have been registered against those who are not selling food and drinking water at MRP.
It is believed that over 42 cases have been registered against multiplexes and penalty has been imposed on them over the last 12 months. Some of the cases are being dealt in consumer courts.
A distant dream?
Though it has been two years since the Government addressed the issue of capping the rate on food and drinks in multiplexes, the issue of ticket rates is yet to be resolved. On March 16, 2017, when the Government announced its decision to cap ticket rates in multiplexes at ₹200, within two months the Karnataka High Court struck down the order citing a technical flaw.
Now, after 30 months, there seems to be no attempt to challenge the court’s order to implement its directive.
A delegation of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), headed by the new president of KFCC, DR Jairaj recently met the Home Secretary, appealing that he take steps to implement the capping on the ticket rates. “The issue is still in court. Had the Government opted to regulate food prices in multiplexes, the issue would have been resolved two years ago,” says KV Chandrashekar, President, Karnataka Film Exhibitors’ Association.
However cine goers and the Kannada film industry has its fingers crossed about the Government’s future move in regulating ticket prices.
