The Karnataka government has announced a cap of ₹200 on movie ticket prices across all theatres, including multiplexes. The decision, revealed in the state budget on Friday, is aimed at making cinema more affordable. “The cost of the ticket of each show in all theatres of the state, including multiplexes, will be capped at ₹200,” said Siddaramaiah in his budget.
The demand for price regulation had been longstanding within the Kannada film industry, which has been asking the government to curb high ticket prices, particularly in cities like Bengaluru where rates can be exorbitant. Other states, including Tamil Nadu, have implemented similar measures, with Tamil Nadu capping ticket prices at ₹120, making it one of the most affordable places to watch movies.
On Thursday, home minister G Parameshwara had told the legislative council that the government will look into regulations on ticket pricing. Replying to JD(S) member Govindraju’s query during the Question Hour, Parameshwara said that at present the state follows the system of theatre owners fixing ticket prices.
“I have no clue why the state government has not interfered till now, although chief minister Siddaramaiah had intervened, capped the ticket rate in multiplexes at ₹200 in 2017 and an order was issued during his previous tenure as the CM,” the home minister said.
In the budget, further recognising the challenges faced by Kannada filmmakers in securing space on mainstream OTT platforms, the government has proposed the creation of a state-run OTT platform dedicated to promoting Kannada movies.
In 2024, leading actor-producers like Rakshit Shetty and Rishab Shetty voiced concerns about the difficulties in getting major platforms to acquire Kannada content. In response to these challenges, Rakshit Shetty’s production house, Paramvah Studio, launched its own platform in July last year to stream its Kannada web series, Ekam.
Additionally, the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy has been allocated 2.5 acres of land where a multiplex complex will be developed under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. “A multiplex movie theatre complex will be developed under public private partnership (PPP) in 2.5-acre land owned by the Karnataka Film Academy in Nandini Layout, Bengaluru,” Siddaramaiah added.
As part of its broader push for the development of cinema, the government also announced that the film sector will be granted industry status, making it eligible for benefits under the state’s industrial policy.
To preserve Kannada cinema, the government has allocated ₹3 crore for the establishment of a digital and non-digital film repository. This initiative aims to document the social, historical, and cultural aspects of Kannada films.
The budget also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to establishing a film city in Mysuru. “For developing an international-level film city in Mysuru at the cost of ₹500 crore in the PPP model, 150-acre land has been transferred to the department of information and public relations. The government is committed to establishing this film city in the next years,” Siddaramaiah said. Hindustan Times