Single GO on Film Ticket Pricing Soon: Kandula Durgesh

VIJAYAWADA: To end confusion over cinema ticket pricing, cinematography minister Kandula Durgesh announced on Wednesday that a single, comprehensive Government Order on this is planned -- which will apply uniformly to films across all categories.

Speaking to the media after a review meeting of the film ticket price rationalisation committee at the secretariat, the minister said the existing practice of issuing separate GOs for individual films based on their budgets would stop.

“Our objective is to bring in one transparent and uniform policy that balances the interests of the film industry while ensuring that cinema remains affordable for the common viewer,” he said.

Durgesh stressed that the new policy would be framed after taking into account the views of producers, distributors and exhibitors. The government, he said, is keen to ensure the sustainability of the film industry without placing an undue burden on audiences. Discussions are also under way on big-budget films, artists’ remuneration and a category-wise mechanism for any revision of ticket prices.

The minister noted that Telugu cinema has expanded beyond the ‘pan-India’ tag to attain a global reach, leading to a sharp rise in production budgets. “Pan-India films have significantly escalated costs for producers. Keeping this in view, the state government is carefully examining ticket price rationalisation,” he said.

Durgesh said the committee, comprising senior officials including senior officials, managing directors of APSFTV and TDCC and representatives of the Telugu film chamber, held detailed discussions on several aspects.

These included rationalisation of ticket prices for multiplexes and single-screen theatres and the norms to be followed for permitting higher prices for high-budget films.

The committee is also aiming at defining price slabs for low-budget and high-budget films, the percentage of shooting that must be undertaken within Andhra Pradesh, and measures to promote tourism locations alongside film shoots.

Durgesh said while ticket price revisions are currently being processed through the home department as per the existing GO, a new policy framework would be finalised soon. “Once a broad consensus is reached, a fresh GO will be issued,” he said.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to making AP a premier destination for film production, the minister said focused efforts would be made to encourage the growth of the film and television industry.

Earlier, members of the committee, including director Jasti Dharmateja, distributor Nakkalapudi Saibabu, producer Kuchibotla Vivek and exhibitors Sompalli Siva Prasad and Alankar Prasad, met the minister and presented their suggestions.