Ongole : Theatres seek nod to fix ticket price, industry status

Ongole : The theatre managements are demanding that the government give them the right to fix the price of the tickets, as they are spending crores of rupees to provide luxurious facilities to the audience.

They want the government to recognise the theatres also as industries and provide the subsidies and incentives on par with the other industries in the state.

Speaking to 'The Hans India', proprietor of a theatre in Kanigiri said that the government is forcing them to collect ticket prices classifying the locations as A, B and C centres.

He said that in the current pandemic situation and rules by the government, only 40 to 50 people are coming to theatres. He estimated that the theatres in the C centres are hardly managing to get Rs 5 lakh per month, as the average ticket price is around Rs 50 only.

However, he said, the theatres should pay electricity bills of Rs 2 to 2.5 lakh, salaries of the employees for about Rs 2.5 to 3 lakh per month, which is not feasible.

Alapati Ramarao, proprietor of Ratna Mahal in Ongole explained that he took loans and invested Rs 6 crore on the remodelling and upgrading of the infrastructure of the theatre just a few weeks before the lockdown last year.

Since then, the burden on the theatre including the instalments and interests, have reached over Rs 10 crore. He said that since the reopening of the theatres, they haven't received enough money for the expenditure, as the audience are not showing interest in the movies released in the meantime.

As the movies of stars are now being scheduled, he demanded that the government give them the free hand to fix the ticket price, based on the facilities they are offering.

He said that it is an injustice on the part of the government to collect a small amount for the rich and luxurious feel they are providing to the audience during the screening.