Tirupati: Producer Prasad urges govt to rethink on movie ticket prices

Tirupati: Cine producer and Film Chamber former president NV Prasad urged the state government to rethink on movie ticket prices as the film industry was crippled during pandemic time.

Addressing the media at Jaya Syam theatre here on Thursday, he said coronavirus-induced lockdown for two years coupled with OTT influence badly affected the cinema industry causing serious financial losses and added that the regulating prices by the government was a blow to the already teetering film industry.

Welcoming one-month reprieve announced by the government for theaters to comply with statutory norms, Prasad requested the committee set up by the state government to look into the industry problems as well as ticket prices to thoroughly study all the problems faced by theaters in detail before giving their report to the government.

Stating that ministers and MLAs have the responsibility to protect the theatres, he urged them to speak about ticket prices after knowing the practical problems.

"Film theatres, particularly in rural areas, were worst-affected by the pandemic and OTT. There is no use in meeting joint collectors to take up the issues as they would be always busy. Hence, I request the government asked the government to rethink over the issue of fixing ticket prices," the producer said.

Countering film producer and director Natti Kumar's recent comments, Prasad advised that persons who do not know fully about the film industry should not comment and also said Natti Kumar can start separate film chamber in Telangana and conduct elections without AP film industry peoples involvement. All the film exhibitors in Tirupati were present.