AMARAVATI/HYDERABAD: Interestingly maverick filmmaker and director Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) has suddenly taken up the cudgels of the Telugu film industry with regards to movie ticket pricing and regulation in the State of Andhra Pradesh. Taking to his favorite haunt the social blogging site -Twitter on Tuesday, RGV posed a series of questions to Minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) regarding the cinema tickets pricing, to which the Minister ‘gently’ answered them in his own imitable while explaining the stance of the AP Government.
Dear honourable minister of cinematography @perni_nani Sir, I humbly request you or your representatives to answer the following questions sir ..What precisely is the role of government in deciding a market price of any product including films sir ?
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 4, 2022
Starting off Perni Nani said that he had read RGVs tweets and asked a basic doubt. “Which basic economics says that an Rs.100 ticket can be sold for Rs.1,000 and Rs.2,000? What does the basic law say about this? What market mechanism is this called? Is it called demand & supply? Or is it called black marketing? he asked.
Dear honourable minister of cinematography @perni_nani sir, I understand government might intervene and fix a price below or above the equilibrium when there’s a dire shortage of an essential commodity like wheat, rice , kerosene oil etc , But how does that apply to films sir ?
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 4, 2022
To ensure that the common man's likings and affection are not robbed, all state governments have been setting the price of movie tickets as per law for the past 66 years. With regards to your question as to how the government could control the prices of movie tickets just as how it controls the prices of essential commodities like salt and cereals. Theaters are public places where entertainment services are provided, he explained.
Dear honourable minister of cinematography @perni_nani Sir,It’s basics of economics that a forced lowering of price even in food grains will make farmers lose motivation thus causing shortages creating lack of quality, and the same theory will also apply to Film production sir
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 4, 2022
You spoke about a basic principle in economics stating that motivation is lost if prices are forcibly reduced. Please clarify, is it meant for the buyers or sellers? You left the consumer angle into the thin air while talking about the producers' benefit. Please think about the audience benefit also Varma Garu, Perni Nani replied.
Dear honourable minister of cinematography @perni_nani sir ,in case you feel cinema is so essential for the poor then why doesn’t the government subsidise it like how you do it for medical and educational services by paying the balance from the government’s pocket sir ?
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 4, 2022
With regards to RGV’s point to give subsidy to the movie industry while considering it an emergency service like medical or education Perni Nani clarified that the State government does consider cinema either as an essential or as an emergency service.
Dear honourable minister of cinematography @perni_nani Sir, I would like your honourable team to understand that pricing of heroes like @alluarjun @pawankalyan @urstrulymahesh etc is nothing but a subtract between production cost and the expected recovery based on track record
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 4, 2022
Also Read: Fix Movie Tickets Price After Consultation With Joint Collectors: AP High Court
The provisions of the 1970 Cinematography Act only state that the price of movie tickets in the theatres should be determined solely on the basis of the facilities provided to the audience, he informed. You have spoken about a formula for the remuneration given by the producers to the heroes. No state government will ever determine the price of tickets in theaters, taking into account the remuneration paid to heroes or on how much you spend on the making of the films, the Minister tweeted.
Dear honourable minister of cinematography @perni_nani Sir, I humbly request you or your representatives to answer the following questions sir ..What precisely is the role of government in deciding a market price of any product including films sir ?
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 4, 2022
You have asked a question on what is the role of the government in determining the market price of a commodity. Cinema is not a commodity, it is only an entertainment service. Keeping in mind the people, we (AP Govt) are regulating the ticket pricing in theatres only… and most certainly not the regulation of movie production, he explained further.
Dear honourable minister of cinematography @perni_nani Sir, I would request you to understand that your government has been given power to support from the bottom and not to sit on the top of our heads ..Thank you very much 🙏
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 4, 2022
In answer to RGV’s last tweet, Perni Nani gave a befitting reply. You have stated that our government has been given the power to support from the bottom and not to sit on the top of your heads. Just like giving strength from below, if we let the industry sell cinema tickets at any price, and by regulating the pricing and stopping the common man from being looted, is it similar to sitting on your head. Is it justified for you to speak in this manner, Perni Nani asked RGV and said thank you very much with the same namasthe emoji.
It is known that as part of its policy to streamline the way film theatres function in the State, the AP Government-issued GO No 35 for regulating and fixing ticket prices in movie theatres. It also issued GO 142 where the government was making a provision for an online ticketing system to prevent black marketing of tickets and regulate prices. To this effect the AP Cinemas (Regulation) Amendment Act 2021 was amended in the Assembly recently.