The decision by the Andhra Pradesh government to increase movie ticket prices to a maximum of ₹250 and address a key issue regarding flexible pricing for ‘super high budget’ movies will not only improve revenue for Tamil movies dubbed in Telugu by at least 25-30%, but may have provided Tamil film industry a blueprint to push for a similar reform in the State.
Super-high budget movies are defined as those that are made at a production cost ₹100 crore, excluding the remuneration for technicians and stars.
The Tamil film producers, who have seen their production costs soar in the last couple of decades, have been demanding ‘flexible’ ticket pricing in theatres along with several other demands such as removal of local body taxes. As of now, the producers and theatre owners can charge the rates that were revised in 2017 by the previous AIADMK government.
In the current scenario, distributors and producers who buy the theatrical rights of big budget movies in Tamil Nadu get around this problem by selling the early morning and morning show tickets in select single screen theatres across Tamil Nadu for astronomical prices illegally. For instance, in the last 5 years, the ticket prices for opening shows of any big star film at select single screen theatres has been sold for anywhere between ₹500 to ₹1,000 much more than the government mandated prices.
The Andhra government’s decision is likely to benefit films by actors such as Rajinikanth, Vijay, Suriya, Karthi, Sivakarthikeyan and Vishal, whose dubbed movies are a big draw in Andhra Pradhesh.
“The revenue of dubbed films featuring select heroes who already have a market in Telugu is likely to increase by 25-30% due to the hike in ticket prices,” said producer and member of Tamil Film Active Producers Association, G. Dhananjayan.
In the past, veteran actors like Kamal Haasan have often questioned the State Government’s decision to cap and control cinema ticket prices as if it is an ‘essential commodity’. Many others have questioned the logic of fixed ticket prices for both a small budget and bigger budget films.
