Telangana Exhibitors Heave a Sigh of Relief, Says Vijayender Reddy

 Noted exhibitor Vijayender Reddy has welcomed the Telangana High Court’s decision to stay an earlier order that prevented single-screen and standalone theatres from collecting parking fees. Calling it a major relief, he said the move would benefit hundreds of exhibitors across the state.

“Hundreds of exhibitors will heave a sigh of relief. We are thankful to the Telangana High Court,” he said.

With the stay in place, nearly all single-screen theatres in Telangana can now resume collecting parking charges, except for Asian Konark Theatre. According to Reddy, there are around 270 single screens in the state, and theatres typically charge a nominal fee of Rs 20 for bikes and Rs 30 for cars.

“We ensure the safety of vehicles and even the belongings of patrons for about three hours during every show. We don’t make significant profits from parking fees,” said Reddy, who also serves as president of the Telangana Controllers and Exhibitors Association.

He noted that monthly parking collections range between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh, a portion of which goes toward operational costs. “We pay salaries of up to Rs 40,000 for security staff. In cases where vehicle owners report minor damages like scratches or broken mirrors, we compensate them. Moviegoers are our breadwinners,” he explained.

Reddy also highlighted the challenges faced by single-screen theatres in recent months. While Sankranti releases brought strong collections, February and March saw a sharp decline in footfalls.

“Single screens are already struggling due to declining audiences. We had several no-shows in February and March and are hoping for a turnaround with upcoming big releases,” he said.

He attributed the drop in theatre attendance primarily to high ticket prices rather than parking charges. “It’s the abnormal ticket pricing that has pushed audiences away, not the small parking fee,” he added.

To address dwindling footfalls, single-screen owners are proposing structural changes to make their business more sustainable. “We are requesting the government to allow us to reduce seating capacity from around 1,200 to 400 seats. This would enable us to utilize the remaining space for commercial purposes such as food courts, clothing stores, or mobile shops,” Reddy said.

He concluded that such measures could help theatres survive in the long run instead of shutting down due to lack of patrons.