Telangana Exhibitors Association Welcomes Government's Decision on Ticket Prices

 Telangana Exhibitors Association Welcomes Government's Decision on Ticket Prices

The Telangana government's recent announcement not to increase movie ticket prices has been welcomed by the Telangana Exhibitors' Association Chairman, Vijender Reddy. In addition, the government has prohibited special shows for films. This announcement was made by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy.

In light of this decision, the Telangana Exhibitors' Association held a press conference on Monday at the Telangana Film Chamber of Commerce office, attended by several key figures, including Andhra Pradesh Exhibitors Sector Chairman T.S. Ram Prasad, Association Secretary Bala Govind Raj, Ongole Exhibitor Gorantla Veerinaidu, and Distributor Satyanarayana Goud.

During the event, Chairman Vijender Reddy emphasized the confusion created by rising ticket prices. He noted, “Many audiences mistakenly believe that regular movies are also being charged at higher rates. Different pricing for various films is causing inconvenience for viewers. Typically, middle-class individuals, students, and fans with modest incomes watch movies in the first few days after release. Charging them higher ticket prices is unfortunate.” Reddy mentioned a recent meeting with filmmaker Dil Raju, during which they discussed the need for standardizing ticket prices. He expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for supporting this idea and thanked Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy for providing clarity on the matter.

He pointed out that audiences often do not closely monitor government orders regarding ticket price increases and continue to assume that higher rates apply. This misunderstanding has adversely affected movie collections. Reddy concluded by stating that the Chief Minister's decision to maintain affordable ticket prices would help revitalize the theatre business and encourage more people to watch and support films.

T.S. Ram Prasad, Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Exhibitors Sector, also praised the Telangana government's announcement, calling it a positive move for both the film industry and audiences. He advocated against benefit shows and price hikes, highlighting that some producers' demands for higher ticket prices, based on their film production costs, are deterring audience turnout and negatively impacting collections. Prasad called for similar measures in Andhra Pradesh to prevent benefit shows and control ticket prices, stating, “Increasing ticket prices burdens the audience and ultimately harms theatres, especially medium-budget films that struggle to generate adequate collections.”

Bala Govind Raj, Secretary of the Telangana Exhibitors' Association, shared insights on the confusion surrounding ticket prices over the past few years. He recalled that when ticket prices were raised to ₹1,000, many audience members were shocked, leading to a decline in theatre attendance. He noted that unclear pricing has caused hesitation among potential viewers. Raj advocated for a decision from both chambers to address this issue, praising the move to fix ticket prices in Telangana. He also encouraged producers to explore strategies for effectively releasing movies across more theatres, which could benefit both producers and audiences alike.