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Moviegoers taken for a ride on Sankranti
The release of two big budget movies Khaidi 150 and Gowtamiputra Satakarni featuring Chiranjivi and Balakrishna respectively
- Khaidi 150 and Gowtamiputra Satakarni fetched windfall
- Movie viewers had to cough up `40-60 at non-AC halls and `20-30 at AC halls
Kakinada : The release of two big budget movies Khaidi 150 and Gowtamiputra Satakarni featuring Chiranjivi and Balakrishna respectively during the Sankranti festival season turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the theater owners at Kakinada as theatre ticket prices shot up abnormally.
Taking advantage of the Pongal season, hall ticket admission charges went up abruptly by Rs.20-Rs.30 at AC theaters and Rs.40-Rs.60 at Non-ac Theaters.
CPM Kakinada city unit president Pelivala Veerababu said that theaters in the city capitalized on the Pongal festivity and enhanced admission charges at will.
Coupled with this, prices of eatables like popcorn were sold at higher prices at the theatres. Each popcorn packet was sold at Rs.30, three times to the normal rate of Rs.10, whereas a big size packet was sold for Rs.50 without any price tag, weight and date of manufacturing details. Even soft drinks were sold as much as 50 percent excess on MRP rates.
Joining the chorus, East Godavari BJP unit president Yenimireddy Malakonda Reddy, alias Malakondayya averred that some exhibitors took advantage of the Pongal season and fleeced moviegoers under the disguise of extra charges.Further, eatables were sold at exorbitant prices as against the MRP. Subsequent to a special representation received from the film exhibiters, the district revenue authorities gave permission for a 20 percent hike in the theatre admission charges, said Kakinada RDO and Sub Divisional Magistrate B R Ambedkar.
Cases have been booked against 10 cinema theatres on charges of collecting extra amount and also for their failure to follow the statutory rules of mentioning packing date and weight details on packaged foods, informed East Godavari Legal Metrology Assistant Commissioner, M N S Madhuri.
