Reassuring that he has not forgotten the promises in the state budget presented in March, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday that the cap on ticket pricing in multiplexes will come into effect in two days.
Speaking at the Karnataka State Film Awards ceremony on Monday, the Congress leader said that the notification that prohibits multiplexes from charging more than Rs. 200 per ticket and making screening of Kannada movies mandatory during 4.30 pm - 7.30 pm slot, will be issued latest by Thursday.
“We will issue a notification tomorrow or the day after, making exhibition of Kannada films at multiplexes compulsory ,“ Siddaramaiah was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
On March 15, the CM, who also holds the finance portfolio, promised to implement these two measures, as a means of addressing the long-pending demands of the Kannada film industry.
However, even a month later in April, the government had not initiated any steps to implement its promise. After a newspaper criticized the government for the delay, the CM had assured that the rule will come into effect from May.
“From next month, multiplexes must follow the directive. I will sign the orders later this month,“ Siddaramaiah had then said.
Price caps have been in implemented in states like Tamil Nadu for several years now. It was DMK patriarch Karunanidhi who introduced the price caps when he was the Chief Minister. Recently, several theatre owners and producers have been lobbying with the state government in Tamil Nadu to increase the cap of movie tickets in TN, which is at Rs. 120 now.