Actor Vijay’s fans had to wait until late on Monday to book tickets for the actor’s upcoming Deepavali release, Mersal, as theatres opened their counters one by one after the State government issued a order formalising the maximum and minimum rates for movie ticket prices in Tamil Nadu. The ticket prices in mulitplexes have been fixed at ₹150 and ₹50, and at AC and non-AC theatres ₹100/₹40 and ₹80/₹ 30 respectively.
Ramkumar Nammalvar, founder and CEO of online ticketing platform, TicketNew, said several theatres opened advance bookings on Monday evening at increased prices. “Most theatres have increased the ticket prices for Mersal ,” he said.
Asked if the uncertainty surrounding the film’s release had hampered the advance booking, he said, “The tickets began selling fast even as the theatres kept opening their inventory.” While several theatres started their advance bookings, many decided to wait for one more day as the G.O., which prescribes entertainment tax as 8%, is expected only on Tuesday.
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“We cannot fix the ticket rate without the State government issuing an order for entertainment tax. We will wait till Tuesday before opening the booking,” said the owner of a multiplex in the city.
Much of the debate around the increase in ticket prices was dominated by many single screen theatres (all over TN) illegally selling tickets for the first few days at exorbitant prices.
Tamil Film Producers’ Council president actor Vishal and exhibitor Abirami Ramanathan had earlier hoped that theatres would not resort to illegal practices as the ticket prices had been hiked by the State government.
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However, several single screen theatres in the city have sold tickets for first day at (as high as) ₹500.
Asked if the theatre owners and distributors association would lay down rules to fix this problem, Tiruppur Subramanian said, “It is up to the government to crackdown on theatres that sell ticket, at prices above the mandated rates. The theatre owners in our region have decided to stick to the government rates.”
While the film industry’s strike against the entertainment tax certainly contributed to the film’s advance bookings not opening even two days before its release, the makers of Mersal did not receive a ‘no objection certificate’ from the Animal Welfare Board of India until Monday.
A source from Thenandal Studios Limited maintained that they were hopeful of the film releasing on Deepaval i.