Kannada industry says Karnataka govt's ₹200 ticket cap hurts box office; moves court before Kantara Chapter 1 release

The Karnataka government capped the ticket prices for films in the state at ₹200 just weeks before the release of Kantara: Chapter 1.

Several stakeholders from the Kannada film industry, including multiplex owners and major production houses such as Hombale Films, Keystone Entertainment, and VK Films, have moved the High Court against the Karnataka government's new cap on cinema ticket rates in the state.

Kantara Chapter 1 stars Rishab Shetty and will release in October.

Kannada studios, multiplexes move court

The state government had recently capped the ticket prices for films in the state at ₹200, which has led to production houses and the Multiplex Association of India crying foul.

According to a press statement, four Public Interest Litigations (PILs) have been filed by Hombale Films, the Multiplex Association of India, Keystone Entertainment, and VK Films. The petitioners contend that the state's move, while excluding taxes, will hurt revenue and box office collections, particularly for big-budget releases. "The uniform ticket pricing across multiplexes will reduce income and result in financial losses for producers and theatre owners," the petitioners said.

What is Karnataka government's ticket cap ruling?

Last week, the state government issued the cap through amendments to the Karnataka Cinemas (Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2025. This will prohibit any screens across the state from raising ticket prices for all films beyond ₹200. The ruling, however, exempted premium multi-screen theatres with fewer than 75 seats. Such ticket cap restrictions also exist in Andhra Pradesh.

The timing of the notification perturbed stakeholders in Kannada cinema. Rishab Shetty's Kantara: Chapter 1, bankrolled by Hombale Films, is set to hit the screens on 2 October. The film, made on a reported budget of ₹125 crore, is one of the most expensive Kannada films ever made, and the makers are banking on it to return their investments many times over.

The film is a sequel to the 2022 blockbuster, Kantara, which grossed over ₹400 crore on a modest ₹15-crore budget. Kantara Chapter 1 also stars Jayaram, Rukmini Vasanth, and Gulshan Devaiah.