With SS Rajamouli's much-awaited movie RRR set for release on March 25, the Andhra Pradesh government has agreed to fix special ticket prices for the film for the first 10 days after its release. Making an exception for RRR as a ‘super high budget film’, the government issued orders on Thursday, March 17 permitting theatres to increase the ticket price by Rs 75 over and above the presently allowed rates for a period of 10 days from the date of its release, as per the latest Government Order (GO) related to movie ticket rates.
Rajamouli, along with producer DVV Danayya, had met Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday, March 14, with a request to provide special benefit of increased ticket prices under the recent GO. The Chief Minister had reportedly responded positively to the request.
RRR, starring Ram Charan, Jr NTR, and Alia Bhatt, is set to hit the screens on March 25 after missing its theatrical release multiple times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The state government earlier this month issued a GO fixing new movie ticket rates to put an end to the controversy over the issue.
Under the GO, the government will notify separate rates for a period of 10 days from the date of release of 'super high budget films'. This category has been defined as films made with a lot of creative elements, visual effects involving uses of high end technology etc. with production cost above Rs 100 crore, excluding remuneration of heroes, heroines and directors.
The government, which will notify the special prices on a case to case basis, has also put a rider. These super high budget films would need to shoot at least 20% of the film in Andhra Pradesh. However, speaking to reporters, state Cinematography Minister Perni Venkatramaiah made it clear on Thursday, March 17, that this condition will not apply to RRR as the film completed the production much before the GO came into effect.
He said during the meeting with the Chief Minister, Rajamouli informed him that RRR has been made with a budget of Rs 336 crore excluding GST and remuneration of heroes, heroines and the director. Nani, as the minister is popularly known, said the state government would promote film shootings in the state. He said permissions for film shootings will be given free through a single-window system. He pointed out that Telangana and other states were collecting fees for film shootings.
With IANS inputs