Director Ram Gopal Varma has described the Andhra Pradesh government's continuation of a low-theatre-admission-price policy as 'unacceptable' in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The filmmaker continued his opposition to the government on social media after meeting state cinematography minister Perni Venkatramaiah on the issue.
Varma had raised the question last week, following which he was invited to a meeting with the minister. However, the meeting has not satisfied the filmmaker who continues to question the government on the issue.
Giving the example of the state of Maharashtra, which allows theatres to decide ticket rates, Varma tweeted, "Maharashtra state allowing SS Rajamouli's RRR ticket to sell at Rs2200 and his home state AP not even allowing to sell at Rs 200 raises an existential question: Who killed Kattappa?"
Maharashtra state allowing @ssrajamouli ‘s RRR ticket price to sell at Rs 2200/- and his home state AP not even allowing to sell at Rs 200/- raises an existential question “WHO KILLED KATTAPPA? “
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 11, 2022
My understanding after my meeting with @Perni_nani garu is that the AP ticket pricing controversy boils down to just these issues as explained in the below tweets
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 11, 2022
How can a Rs 500 cr RRR film and a film costing just Rs 1 cr be forced to sell at the same ticket price ?
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 11, 2022
In response, the state minister told reporters that the government is empowered under the Cinematograph Act to set prices for theatre tickets.
The New Indian Express newspaper quoted the minister as saying, "It is difficult to satisfy everyone while making such a decision. The YSRCP government didn’t cause any inconvenience to the film fraternity. If anyone finds these prices unreasonable, they can come directly and inform the committee appointed to fix the ticket prices."
The debate revolves around a decision by the state government on 8 April 2021 to fix slabs for theatre ticket prices in municipal corporation, municipality, village and town council regions. According to the order, in multiplexes in municipal corporation areas, tickets can be priced between Rs75 ad Rs200. In AC and non-AC single-screen theatres, the price range is set between Rs20 and Rs100. In gram panchayat (village council) areas, the ticket prices in the economy range have been set at Rs5 for non-AC theatres.
In addition, the state government has decreed that the maximum retail price of refreshment items cannot be raised inside theatres. The order also requires theatres to provide free drinking water, clean restrooms and online reservation facilities.
The order has come as a downer for distributors and exhibitors who were looking for some leeway in the post-pandemic situation. With theatres still functioning at 50% capacity, and the third wave here, depressing the prices by fiat has only hurt them more.
The government has also imposed the order with intensity, directing several crackdowns on theatres that levied charges in contravention of its order in December. Varma pointed out in his tweets how price controls would simply hurt the business.
The only way pricing can get lower will be due to fierce competition among the manufacturers to give better and better quality at a lesser and lesser price to the consumer and not because of external forces
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 11, 2022
Government forcing the manufacturers to sell at lower prices will result only in them stopping production or making low quality products
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 11, 2022
In another state tickets being sold for even Rs 2200 and in AP state if even Rs 200 isn’t allowed , isn’t it in direct violation of article 14 which prohibits discrimination?
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 11, 2022
Incidentally, Allu Arjun's hit Pushpa: The Rise (2021) has made good ground with its Hindi version but struggled in the Telugu market. Despite the film claiming to have made more than Rs200 crore in the South and achieved Rs80 crore in the Hindi market, the share going to theatre owners and distributors is far less. With ticket prices low and attendance falling, they run the risk of struggling to recover their costs.
Describing the government order as 'unacceptable' Verma said the law needs 'to be fought in court'.
The cinematography act 1955 to be suddenly dug out by AP govt after 70 years and randomly implemented is unacceptable and it is necessary that the act itself should be challenged in court
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 11, 2022
In an extreme covid situation there was a reason for the disaster management act to be brought out but what extreme reason is for this cinematography act to be applied now ?
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 11, 2022
Imposing limitations to the extent of curtailing the Fundamental Rights guaranteed under article 19(1)a of the Constitution without due process would tantamount to a mis exercise of authority.
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 11, 2022