Telangana govt will address film exhibitors’ issues soon: Talasani

HYDERABAD: The state government on Tuesday said several issues raised by film exhibitors that included exemption from GST and waiver of minimum electricity demand charges would be addressed soon.

After a meeting with representatives of film exhibitors and cinema industry, cinematography minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav said, “Theatre owners gave a number of representations to the Chief Minister with regard to their difficulties. Today’s meeting was to discuss those issues.”

He said, “Hyderabad is a hub for the cinema industry with 5,000 movies being shot each year, in different languages. Apart from commercial aspects, rebates in payments for shoot locations, as well as the implementation of labour Acts in all the 24 crafts of cinema have been discussed. We will get more clarity on this by the next meeting.”

The meeting also decided to allow theatres to screen a fifth show, as requested by the exhibitors. The meeting was attended by a delegation of movie makers and exhibitors, the chief secretary, top officials of municipal administration, home, and labour departments along with other officials.

After the meeting, officials said the long-pending demands of theatre owners for exemption from GST, waiver of minimum demand charges for electricity, and rebate on property tax, would be cleared soon.

Chairman, Telangana State Film Development Corporation, Ram Mohan Rao, told this newspaper that it was a positive meeting with the government agreeing to many of our demands. The government also agreed to increase ticket rates that have been static for the past 12 years. The prospect of online ticketing for cinemas managed by the government itself was also discussed.”

“The government is keen on setting up theatres in mandals which do not have them. For theatres built in such locations, a five-year tax holiday as well other attractive rebates are on offer.”