MAI urges Karnataka govt to remove price cap on movie tickets

Bengaluru: Multiplex Association of India has opposed the Karnataka government’s move to cap the ticket prices at Rs 200 for all cinema theatres in the state.

According to the association, such step is “retrograde, irrational, unfair, against the interests of film industry” and urged the state government to withdraw the notification.

Multiplex Association of India (MAI) represents around 80 per cent of the multiplex industry in India. Its members operate more than 500 multiplexes with more than 1,800 screens across the country.

“The move to cap ticket prices in Karnataka is extremely investor unfriendly and will stop the growth of new multiplexes in Karnataka,” MAI said in a statement.

It further added: “It would also lead to many existing multiplexes to consider shutting down because of financial unviability”.

The Karnataka government has capped the price of film tickets in all theatres at Rs 200 and made it mandatory for multiplexes to screen Kannada and regional cinema during prime time.

The ceiling on movie ticket prices comes into immediate effect, with government issuing a notification implementing the proposal announced in the state budget for 2017-18.

MAI further said that the ticket prices vary per seat type, per screen, per show of the day, per day of the week, per movie being screened, and nature of facilities / technology being provided.