Movie tickets to cost you more across state

HYDERABAD: Movie tickets will cost more in the state from Tuesday. In a move to net a few extra crores for the treasury, the state government on Monday hiked movie ticket rates by Rs 5-10 for upper stalls in theatres located in  municipal corporation areas and other locations across the state. Prices of tickets in the lower classes will remain the same. According to the orders issued on Monday, movie tickets presently costing Rs 50 in air-conditioned theatres located in municipal corporation areas and other locations will cost Rs 60 and those priced at Rs 30 will cost Rs 40.In air-cooled cinemas, prices for seats in the upper stalls have been increased from Rs 50 to Rs 55 in municipal corporation areas and Rs 25 to Rs 30 in other locations. In ordinary cinemas, the revised prices will be Rs 30 and Rs 25 respectively.The ticket price revision has been done as per the recommendations of a high power committee chaired by chief secretary S V Prasad following representations from the Andhra Pradesh Film Chambers of Commerce and other organisations. The state government’s decision is likely to fetch an additional Rs 10-20 crore to the exchequer by way of the 16 per cent entertainment tax. Currently, the state government earns about Rs 120 crore per annum through this tax.Despite a representation for variable rates for the first two weeks for certain movies, the committee felt that it may not be practicable to implement. Further, fixed rates will prevent leakage of revenue, the committee members opined.