Cinemas in the South seek flexibility in ticket pricing to boost growth

Tamil Nadu Film Exhibitor’s Association has urged the state government to reconsider ticket pricing, highlighting the struggle of cinemas to expand operations. In fact, multiplex chains and theatre owners acknowledge that while the South is a promising hub for the movie industry, rising expenses and capped ticket prices are making it increasingly difficult for them to operate.

- Lata Jha

Besides, expanding or introducing luxury format in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana is becoming challenging, even as the popularity and use of IMAX and 4DX formats for southern films grow.

In Telangana, while tickets for regular seats are capped at ₹295, recliner seats are limited to ₹350. Likewise, in Andhra, ticket prices are capped at ₹177 and ₹295 respectively. Tamil Nadu has capped the rates at ₹150, which does not include goods and services tax, and local taxes.

Opting for premium format may lead to 20-30% increase in ticket rates, experts said.

In April, Mani Ratnam-directed period drama Ponniyin Selvan-2 was the first film in Tamil to be released in 4DX. Ironically, Tamil Nadu had no screen equipped with the format. Trade experts said movie buffs had to travel to nearby cities, including Bengaluru and Kochi, if they wished to view the film in 4DX.