Multiplexes to reduce prices for Marathi films

Multiplexes seem to have bought some peace by agreeing to reduce prices of tickets to Marathi films. HT reports.

Multiplexes seem to have bought some peace by agreeing to reduce prices of tickets to Marathi films.

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Multiplex owners on Wednesday met Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray and conveyed their willingness to reduce the ticket rates for Marathi films.

Members of the Multiplex Owners' Association met Uddhav to discuss the demand. The Shiv Sena had led an agitation on the issue two days ago.

Sainiks had visited Inox, Metro, Sterling cinemas in south Mumbai a day after Uddhav asked multiplex owners to make ticket rates affordable for Marathi-speaking people.

The general secretary of the association Arvind Chaphalkar said members will review the Sena's demand for lower ticket prices and reduce the rates within 15 days.

Representatives from Fun Cinema, Square Entertainment, Cinemax, Fame, City Pride, PVR Cinema, Inox, Prabhat and Vaibhav attended the meeting.

"The members of the association have agreed to lower the rates," Uddhav said after the meeting.

Taunting the chief minister over the My Name is Khan issue, a Hindi movie where the Shiv Sena alleges that the state government went out of the way to provide security for screening the film despite the Sena's opposition, Uddhav said, "Does the Khan-watching chief minister watch any Marathi movies? The ticket rates for Marathi films should not be exorbitant and Marathi people should be able to afford to see them."

Uddhav said the idea behind demanding lower tickets prices was that more people should watch Marathi movies and the industry should sustain.

Multiplex owners, however, are yet to work out the pricing.

"We don't know how much they want the rates reduced by," said the owner of a multiplex requesting anonymity.

"Our operational costs remain the same irrespective of the language of the film so we'll have to still work out the pricing," he added.