Putting an end to the controversy over movie ticket rates in Andhra Pradesh which lasted several months, the Andhra Pradesh government has issued orders for revised ticket rates and a few rules related to ticket pricing, making certain exceptions for small and high budget films. Many members of the Telugu film industry, and theatre owners and distributors in Andhra Pradesh, had objected to the lowered ticket rates previously fixed by the state government back in April 2021. Following Andhra Pradesh High Court orders to the government to constitute a committee to look into the matter, and several meetings between representatives of the film industry including Chiranjeevi with Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, a new Government Order (GO) was issued on March 7 by the state Home Department.
In the new GO, theatres have been reclassified into four categories – non AC theatre, AC/air-cooled theatre, special theatre, and multiplexes. Each category further has two sub categories – non-premium and premium (or regular and recliner seats in case of multiplexes.) The previous contentious GO had only three categories – non AC, AC and multiplex – sub-divided into economy, deluxe and premium. “Air-cool theatres” have been given two years’ time to convert to AC, or collect non-AC charges afterwards.
The new category of special theatres is to make an exception for standalone theatres “which provide cinematic experience far superior to the AC theatres but on par or equal to multiplex theatres and having facilities such as Digital Surround System of 7.1 or more with 2K projection, other infrastructure and high end seat quality on par with multiplex,” the GO said. Special theatres will be identified by a district level committee with the Joint Collector as the nodal officer.
While the old GO had four geographical classifications – municipal corporation, municipality, nagara panchayat, and gram panchayat, the new GO brings nagar and gram panchayats under the same category.
As per the old rates, the lowest ticket prices were for non AC theatres in gram panchayats (Rs 5, 10 and 15 for economy, deluxe and premium), while the highest prices allowed were in multiplexes in municipal corporations (Rs 75, 150 and 250 for economy, deluxe and premium.)
As per the new rates, the lowest ticket rates in non AC theatres in gram and nagar panchayats are Rs 20 and 40 (non-premium and premium), while the highest prices allowed in multiplexes in municipal corporations are Rs 150 and 250 (for regular and recliner seats) For recliner seats available in AC theatres, the rate allowed is Rs 250. The rates are excluding GST, but inclusive of maintenance charges of Rs 5 for AC and Rs 3 for non-AC, and also inclusive of service charges for online booking. The state government has also proposed the setting up of an online movie ticketing system to be administered by the government to regulate cinema ticket pricing and check exploitation of moviegoers.
Old rates
AP Government Mandated Ticket Prices!. Most Towns will be following these prices. (Unless B-Form has higher prices already sanctioned) pic.twitter.com/91q5OPshxE
— AndhraBoxOffice.Com (@AndhraBoxOffice) December 1, 2021
New rates
To promote low budget films, the new GO allows theatres to run five shows a day, with the condition that one of the shows between 11 am and 9 pm be compulsorily reserved for screening a “small budget film”. This will have to be followed every day, including festival days, and when a low budget film’s release clashes with “high and super high budget films.” Films with cost of production below Rs 20 crore, including the remuneration of the star cast, will be considered low budget films.
On the other hand, for “super high budget films”, defined as “films made with lot of creativity elements, visual effects involving uses of high end technology etc.” with production cost above Rs 100 crore “excluding remuneration of heroes, heroines and directors”, the government will notify separate rates for a period of 10 days from the date of release on a case to case basis. But to be allowed to collect higher ticket rates, these super high budget films would need to shoot at least 20% of the film in Andhra Pradesh. During the recent meeting with several actors and filmmakers including Chiranjeevi, Prabhas, Mahesh Babu and SS Rajamouli, CM Jagan had spoken about developing the film industry in Andhra Pradesh the way it has been developed in Telangana, by making Vizag a destination for shootings and other film related work.
In every AC, non AC and special theatres, 25% of the total seats will have to be earmarked as non-premium category, “to enable cinematic experience for those who cannot afford the premium ticket category.”
Chiranjeevi, who has led the discussions between the film industry and the Andhra Pradesh government over the issue, expressed satisfaction with the new GO and said, “I thank Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for issuing a new Government Order revising movie ticket rates while keeping in mind the the survival of theatres as well as the will to keep entertainment accessible to people, in the interest of the Telugu film industry. Allowing a fifth show for small films is beneficial for many producers.”
Thank you Sri. @ysjagan garu @AndhraPradeshCM pic.twitter.com/BsvmsEPrxt
— Chiranjeevi Konidela (@KChiruTweets) March 7, 2022