Tollywood Welcomes Karnataka's Decision to Lower Ticket Prices

In a move expected to benefit both exhibitors and moviegoers, the Karnataka government on Friday issued a notification capping cinema ticket prices at ₹200 (exclusive of taxes) across the State.

The order applies to all theatres, including multiplexes, and for films in all languages, effective from the date of gazette publication.

The decision has struck a positive chord in the Telugu film industry. Prominent distributor Varadha Reddy hailed it as “path-breaking” and urged the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to adopt similar measures.

“I fully support the Karnataka government’s decision to cap ticket prices at ₹200 in multiplexes and single screens alike,” Reddy said. “In fact, ticket prices should ideally be under ₹100 in single screens to draw lower and middle-class audiences back, especially in small towns.”

Reddy cited the recent success of Little Hearts and Kotha Lokha, which together are expected to gross ₹30 crore in the Telugu states, as proof that content matters more than inflated ticket pricing. He also recalled how Sankranthi Vasthunam became a blockbuster at nominal ticket rates, since families could afford to watch it together.

Blaming steep ticket hikes for the decline of single-screen theatres, Reddy noted, “Earlier, inflated ticket prices were limited to superstar films. Now even Tier-2 stars push for ₹299 tickets, which keeps audiences away and worsens the crisis for theatre owners.”

He proposed a rational, tiered pricing system in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana—ranging between ₹75 and ₹150—arguing that current ticket hikes, which can touch ₹400–₹1,200 with special permissions, only drive audiences away. “These inflated prices scare viewers,” he said, pointing to a recent partial industry bandh highlighting the plight of single screens. “Some theatres have even locked doors and canceled shows when fewer than ten people turned up.”

Echoing the sentiment, exhibitor Madala Ramakrishna questioned the policy of uniform ticket pricing across urban and rural belts. “How can we equate the income of a rickshaw puller in a village with that of an IT professional in the city and fix the same rates?” he asked.

Industry insiders say the growing call for reform underscores an urgent need for balance—making cinema affordable while ensuring sustainability for theatres. The Karnataka model, many believe, could serve as a template for Telugu states to revive single screens and bring families back to the big screen.