Baahubali made in Tamil and Telugu and dubbed in Hindi is all set to make more money in Bengaluru rather than Hyderabad, Chennai or Mumbai. The heavy ticket prices are the reason. Even as ticket prices in Chennai and Hyderabad is capped at Rs 120 and Rs 150, even single screens in Bengaluru are charging Rs 600 for the film. Advance bookings for the film show that single screens in Bengaluru are charging 2 to 5 times more than what is being charged in multiplexes in Chennai and Hyderabad. 

The highest ticket rate for Baahubali in higher classes in Multiplexes in Chennai is Rs 220. In Hyderabad it is Rs 250. In Bengaluru's single screen theatre Urvashi the lowest ticket rate is Rs 400 and highest Rs 600! Even in theatres on outskirts like Vajrrshwari the tickets are priced at Rs 200 and Rs 250. 

One more curious factor is that theatres in Chennai and Hyderabad have stuck to rules and the first show starts at 7am. But in Bengaluru despite the 7 am rule, even multiplexes are screening the film before 7 am to cash in on the craze. 

The CM of Karnataka said on Monday that the ticket prices will be capped at Rs 200 in Karnataka and the announcement will be made in one or two days. But advance bookings have started for till next Tuesday already at very high prices.

The Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has promised to look into the issue of overpricing of tickets in multiplexes and solve the issue in 3-4 days. Regarding Multiplex ticket rates issue in Karnataka has got a new life again.

On Monday, Dhruvathara magazine headed by Om Satish felicitated chief minister Siddaramaiah at Vidhana Soudha. KFCC President Sa Ra Govindu and secretary MG Ramurthy attended the function.

During this time Sa Ra Govindu gave a brief explanation to CM about the ticket rates in Multiples and how costly it is for all. Hearing the problems Siddaramaiah assured Sa Ra  Govindu that he will call a meeting regarding this issue within 3-4 days and will solve the problem.

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The Karnataka government has issued a Government Order on capping of film ticket prices in single screens and multiplexes at Rs 200. This was the budget promise made by chief minister Siddaramaiah in the Budget last month. More details of what exactly the Government Order says is awaited.

Two days ago the CM had said that the order would be passed in a day or two. He had also mentioned that along with the cap of ticket prices at Rs 200, there will also be an order regarding compulsory screening of Kannada films in prime time between 4 pm and 7 pm.

The KFCC, Karnataka Chalanchitra Academy and many other private individuals and film personalities had sought for the price cap. This year, the government heeded to the request of KFCC and KCA and made the announcement in Budget. Most theaters including single screen are charging heavy prices for tickets in Karnataka.

Compared to ticket prices in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh the ticket prices in Karnataka are very high. Even single screen ticket price in Karnataka is more than the ticket prices of multiplexes in Chennai and Hyderabad.

As per sources, the order has already been signed and the copy will be issued tomorrow with immediate effect.

The Rs 200 cap on multiplex ticket prices that was supposed to come into effect today has not been implemented. It seems that the multiplex lobby is behind the government not showing urgency in the matter though it helps millions of film audience.

Support Petition to Implement Rs 200 Limit on Film Tickets 

The heavy ticket prices help a handful of businessmen who build shopping malls and multiplexes. Already pro shopping mall owners articles have started appearing in English newspapers. These articles invariably talk about having good business for malls and multiplexes, the heavy investment made and how profits will be affected. They never speak about how audience in Karnataka have been fleeced by multiplexes for the last 15 years. People in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh pay the least amount for tickets. The quality of theaters has not diminished there. In fact the condition of theaters in TN and AP are better.

Multiplex Ticket Price Capped At Rs 200

There is open comments about going to court and taking legal action. This fear is being sown to show that the case can drag on for years and the scheme not implemented. If taking legal action was the option why have not builders and multiplex owners challenged the cap on ticket prices in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh? In Tamil Nadu the cap on ticket prices at Rs 120 has existed for the last ten years. Why has it not been challenged for a decade? The legality of such a law will be uniform throughout the country. Karnataka has to make the law under similar Acts made by Tamil Nadu. 

The question is of interest of millions of common people versus the interest of handful of builders and multiplex owners.

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Uma Column 13 - ಮಲ್ಟಿಪ್ಲೆಕ್ಸಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಭಾಗ್ಯ ಯೋಜನೆ

Responding to a major demand by film audience the Karnataka Government has capped the prices of tickets at multiplexes at Rs 200. Ticket prices in Karnataka multiplexes are among the highest in India.

Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have fixed maximum ticket prices earlier. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the price cap in his budget speech today in the Assembly. The official request to cap ticket prices was made by Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce president Sa Ra Govindu and Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy chairman Rajendra Singh Babu to the government during the pre budget meeting recently. The request was made earlier also but the government has conceded it now. 

Multiplexes will now have to compulsorily screen at least two shows of Kannada films during prime time. Kannada film makers have long complained how Kannada films were regulated to odd timings even when they had more audience than non Kannada films. Chitranagari at Mysore has also been announced.

The State Government has also announced other sops for the film industry. The amount for the film workers welfare fund has been raised to Rs 10 crore from Rs 1 crore. The tax on non Kannada films which was Rs 1 per ticket has been increased to Rs 5 per ticket. This amount will be used for the promotion of Kannada films.

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Multiplexes Ticket For Rs 120. Will Govt Accept?

Uma Column 13 - ಮಲ್ಟಿಪ್ಲೆಕ್ಸಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಭಾಗ್ಯ ಯೋಜನೆ

The recommendations by the state government appointed committee through Chalanachatra Academy to fix a ceiling on ticket price in multiplexes at Rs 120 has reached the government. The committee consisted of Rajendra Singh Babu, Girish Kasaravalli, Jayamala, Thomas Dsouza, KY Narayana Swamy, KV Chandrashekar, Bharati Vishnuvardhan, Raghavendra Rajkumar, Rockline Venkatesh, Basha and Gangadhar Mudaliyar. 

The committee also recommended permission for 100 more Janatha Theatres, surcharge of Rs 5 per ticket for building the film city in Mysuru and subsidy for those building new theatres.

The most important recommendation that will help all audience is capping the ticket prices. Multiplexes in Bengaluru charge the maximum ticket price. In Chennai two rows of tickets are priced at Rs 10 and the others at Rs 120. Thus multiplexes in Bengaluru fill up only on weekends but in Chennai and Hyderabad the multiplexes have good collection throughout the week.

Another recommendation by the committee is to have at least 2 shows for Kannada films at prime time in each multiplex screen. The committee was formed by the government and KCA a government body has made the recommendations. Is there any reason that the government should not accept this proposal. It is time audience are given their due.

In the year 2002, India witnessed the mobile revolution, with the entry of a new telecom player called Reliance communication. The market dynamics changed overnight with the new Reliance predatory pricing on tariff, the dream and ambition of giving mobile telephone charges below the price of Indian post card was accomplished by Sri Dhirubhai Ambani. The price fall from Rs.16 per minute outgoing call   to just 0.50 ps per minute outgoing call, became a reality shocker. India had entered the big telecom league in the global market, with telecom density and mobile penetration in INDIA.

What worked for RCOM was the sheer number of new subscriber base with affordable pricing. New blood was added to the new nascent telecom market, with the mind blowing mobile HUNGAMA offer of RS 501 LG handset sale. This unheard revolutionary pricing of mobile handset made other telecoms’ kneel on their knees with head down in shame.

The biggest learning for other telecom companies was that, when you lower the prices, volume goes up substantially and mainly India is a price sensitive market.

Let’s apply the same logic and learning’s to the Karnataka Cinema Multiplex ticketing. The Current average market price at Rs 275 per ticket with occupancy of Sub 40% (occupancy throughout the week) with the new proposed, ticket price of Rs 120 to Rs 150 per ticket, this will propel the occupancy upward of 80 %. An additional increment of 35% in overall occupancy. What this means to the bottom line is that there iWrite petition regarding multiplex ratess an additional 10% jump in sales volume.

Multiplex operators are the biggest beneficiary in lower price ticketing Game, with the State government earning the same tax collection on the increased ticket volume.

Let the Cinema Multiplex ticketing revolution begin. One more HUNGAMA OFFER in store for the movie lovers of Karnataka in the upcoming State Budget.

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Uma Column 13 - ಮಲ್ಟಿಪ್ಲೆಕ್ಸಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಭಾಗ್ಯ ಯೋಜನೆ

Action On Multiplex - Watch Dog Appointed

Most people, especially film audience are rejoicing the Karnataka Government's budget announcement that tickets in multiplexes will have a maximum price of Rs 200. But there are some people who are not happy with it. The people who will face the immediate implication of this move are non-Kannada film distributors and exhibitors especially in Bengaluru. This includes Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films. 

Multiplex Ticket Price Capped At Rs 200

Non-Kannada films like Bengaluru because of the huge ticket prices in multiplexes. If the film has stars it naturally there will be a big audience in the opening weekend. This is when the non-Kannada films make a killing at the box office. If we look at trends, non-Kannada films do not have a long run in the box office in Karnataka. It is usually the opening weekend and the first week. Very rarely some non-Kannada films have a run of a few weeks at the theatres. So ticket prices are priced very high from Rs 200 to nearly Rs 1,000. 

CM Promises To Solve Multiplex Ticket Price Issue

The huge ticket price means, the exhibitors get more money out of non-Kannada films. If multiplexes share 50 per cent in first week they get half the collections. But for Kannada films, since the ticket prices are low good prime time shows are not granted because of this. But if a Kannada film is doing well, shows are given after 2-3 weeks. By this time the multiplexes get a share of 70% and the film producer gets only 30%. By introducing the Rs 200 maximum limit, exhibitors will not make exhorbitant money out of non-Kannada films and only good films will get shows. The advantage will be with Kannada films.

Because non-Kannada films are priced high, distributors think they can make a profit within three days of release and therefore pay a huge amount to buy the rights for Karnataka especially Bengaluru. In other parts of Karnataka, there are few multiplexes and ticket prices in single screens are almost the same.

The distribution rights of films starring big stars of non Kannada films have gone through the roof in the last few years. This has kept pace with the increase in multiplexes in Bengaluru. From just one multiplex 10 years ago, there are over 30 multiplexes in Bengaluru now with over 150 screens. To recover the huge money, the tickets are priced very high. Audience who watch films paying such huge amounts keep away from other films for at least a month affecting other films. Instead of watching 4-5 films with Rs 1,000, they end up watching only one film. 

Coming up: Part 2: Telugu film Baahubali will be a Test Case

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Uma Column 13 - ಮಲ್ಟಿಪ್ಲೆಕ್ಸಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಭಾಗ್ಯ ಯೋಜನೆ

Action On Multiplex - Watch Dog Appointed

The notification by the state government for a uniform ticket pricing in single screens and multiplexes is a little tricky. Though the notification says that the maximum ticket price can be only Rs 200, it says it is not incisive of taxes. Currently there is an entertainment tax of 30 percent (Kannada films made in Karnataka exempted). So it means that if a ticket is priced Rs 200, you will have to add Rs 60 as entertainment tax. Apart from it there will be service tax and other minor ones. 

The notification also gives a lot of exemptions.  All gold class screens (some multiplex chains name them differently) will be exempted. Every multiplex has one or two screens which are in this category. Apart from this there are special seats in the other screens also which are charged at premium. The notification classified this as gold seats. But there cannot be more than 10% of the total seats. So if a multiplex screen has 300 seats total, not more than 30 can be gold seats for which more than Rs 200 can be charged. 

IMAX and 4DX screens are also exempted from the Rs 200 rule. There is one glaring thing missing in the notification. It does not say when it will come into effect. So what will happen to people who have booked advance tickets is not known.

'Success has many fathers while failure is an orphan' has been proved once again. The recent announcement in the Karnataka Government Budget about ticket prices is one such issue. The ticket prices has been capped at Rs 200 including in multiplexes. While there have been efforts by some people in the industry for the last few years in this regard, suddenly many people who had not even spoken a word about it earlier are claiming credit for the government's move.So who was behind the government's decision. Who pleaded with the government and convinced it?

Rs 200 Budget Impact - Part 1 - KM Veeresh Writes

First of all we should give credit to KFCC President Sa Ra Govindu, Chalanachitra Academy Chairman SV Rajendra Singh Babu, MLC Jayamala and the core committee members. They are the ones who put across the matter to the government on several occasion. They relentessly persued the issue and every time there was an opportunity to meet the government, CM or officials the issue was raised. 

Many persons from the Kannada film industry have given memorandum to the concerned authorities regarding curbing ticket prices in multiplexes for the last few years. For the movie Actor produced by KM Veeresh under the banner Chitraloka.

Multiplex Ticket Price Capped At Rs 200

Movies there was a huge problem from the multiplexes. Along with Actor, another Kannada movie Bhale Jodi was also being targeted by multiplexes. The booking website showed houseful marks and prevented audience from buying tickets. KFCC President Sa Ra Govindu immediately called all the multiplex persons and asked them to sort out the issue. Earlier Dinakar Toogudeepa's film Maduveya Mamateya Kareyole faced similar problem.

Keerthi Shankarghatta popularly known as Kirik Keerthi was writing on his Facebook page and campaigning about multiplex ticket rates from last 4-5 years.

During last year's Budget time Actor director Dayal Padmanabhan started an Online petition to cap the Multiplex ticket price at Rs 120. There was tremendous response from all over India and more than 50,000 people signed the petition including movie stars. Inspite of all the fight nothing much happened in the last year's budget.

This year there was a different movement. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who is very close to KFCC president Sa Ra Govindu heeded to the demand. Whatever Sa Ra Govindu has asked for the film industry, Chief Minister had responded positively. For example, nobody can forget the tragic incident during the shooting Mastigudi where actors Anil and Uday died. During the last State Award function Sa Ra Govindu and Rajendra Singh Babu gave a complete report to Chief Minister on the stage. In the same function Siddaramaiah announced Five lakh compensation each to the families of Anil and Uday. He also announced State Award function will be held every year on April 24th on Dr Rajkumar's birthday and increased the subsidy from 100 to 125 movies.

Recently when reputed director A T Raghu was suffering from Kidney failure Sa Ra Govindu approached Chief Minister for help and got Rs 5 lakhs sanctioned.

Before the budget KFCC President Sa Ra Govindu along with his office bearers, Rajendra Singh Babu and Jayamala had several discussions with Chief Minister and Government officials and explained the problems which Kannada film industry is facing. Finally in the budget whatever KFCC had asked the government has sanctioned. It just because of Sa Ra Govindu that all these things have been brought to fruit. 

Many people are assuming that it is film audience who will benefit more from the cap on ticket prices at Rs 200. But pause and think and there is a surprise. With the Rs 200 price cap set by the Karnataka government in the recent budget there is no doubt that consumers will benefit. But let us analyse the other beneficiaries. 

Movie lovers who go with family to a movie theater used to spend Rs 4000 to Rs 5000 per movie in a multiplex. Now they have to spend around Rs 1500 to Rs 2000. So this family can watch 2-3 movies in a month.

Rs 200 Budget Impact - Part 1 - KM Veeresh Writes

The biggest advantage therefore is to multiplex owners. For normal Kannada movies in the week says the price was between Rs 120-150. Only for Kannada movies with big stars they used to hike the price on first week or weekends and that too not like the hike they did for other language movies. 

Multiplex Ticket Price Capped At Rs 200

Other language Star movie tickets was somewhere around Rs 200-400 in the week days and in the weekends it used to be around Rs 600 to Rs 1000. This craze would be for first two weeks. Now with the price cap by the government audience will have the chance to view more movies in a given month and if the movie is good they see the same movie a second time also. Multiplex has the advantage of getting more crowd now. 

Secondly since in many single screen theaters the maintenance is not up-to the mark now audience has the choice of seeing the movies in multiplex since they maintained clean and the malls they are in is always air conditioned. If they don't get the ticket for their desired movie there is a choice for them to go to some other movie since many malls have 6 – 10 screens with different films. The price difference between single screens and multiplexes has narrowed and more people will move from single screens to multiplex for the better service and options they provide. 

This Chitraloka analysis shows multiplex malls will not suffer much after the price cap but in fact benefit from them.

The major persons who will be affected with the price cap will be the other language producers and distributors. Those who were buying the distribution rights with fancy price may have to think twice now.

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Uma Column 13 - ಮಲ್ಟಿಪ್ಲೆಕ್ಸಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಭಾಗ್ಯ ಯೋಜನೆ

Action On Multiplex - Watch Dog Appointed

Putting speculation to rest the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that the Rs 200 price cap on Film tickets will kick in from May. There were doubts about the implementation but the CM has said that necessary orders will be passed before the end of April.

The issue has to get clearance from 3-4 departments like law, finance and information before a Cabinet approval. After the Budget announcement people were hoping the ticket prices cap will kick in from April 1 itself.

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Uma Column 13 - ಮಲ್ಟಿಪ್ಲೆಕ್ಸಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಭಾಗ್ಯ ಯೋಜನೆ

The suspense over the Rs 200 ticket prices is likely to end on Tuesday. The cap on ticket prices was set to be implemented from last week itself but did not come through.

There were many speculations about what went wrong. In the meantime there were three days of government holidays and the CM went on a foreign visit. He is back in Bengaluru and is expected to resolve whatever the problem is sources said.

There were rumors that there will be differential pricing allowed for various categories of multiplex tickets. But there is no clarity on the issue. But sources insist that the cap on prices will be made tomorrow. Hope it becomes true.

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