MRP a myth in theatres

HYDERABAD: When B Avinash, a hardcore fan of Tollywood hero Ravi Teja, went to watch his latest film in a multiplex in Banjara Hills, he came back disgusted. No, not with the film, but with the eateries outside the theatre that shamelessly conned him.
The popcorn, sandwich and a 300 ml soft drink that Avinash bought ended up costing him much more than the movie ticket itself.And when the BTech student asked the vendor the reason for the galling prices, he was rebuked. When he threatened to lodge a complaint, he was abused and laughed at, recalled the angry youth.
There are nearly 120 cinema theatres, including multiplexes, across the twin cities. The prices of eatables such as bakery items, soft drinks, sweet corn etc are almost triple than the prices outside.
If an aloo samosa in an Irani hotel costs Rs 10, it is Rs 20 in theatres and as high as Rs 30 to Rs 50 in multiplexes. A 300 ml soft drink may cost Rs 15 outside, but in theatres it can leave one poorer by Rs 25 to Rs 75. Moreover, theatre managements refuse to allow patrons to take food, and in some cases even water, inside.
"I recently spent around Rs 200 to buy sweet corn, aloo samosa and a couple of soft drinks. Theatre managements are collecting double price on every food item," said Jagadeesh, a resident of Himayathnagar.
And it's not just food that theatres are charging sky-high for, but also parking. Theatre managements are supposed to provide free space - at least 60 per cent of the total theatre space - for parking of vehicles, according to the Andhra Pradesh Cinemas (Regulations) Rules, 1970. But hardly any theatres are following this rule, say officials.
Also, each theatre charges for parking according to their whims and fancies. In single-screen theatres, the management collects Rs 25-30 to park a four-wheeler, while it could go up to Rs 30-50 in multiplexes based on the number of hours the vehicle is parked in the space.
"There is no specific department that control the price of eatables and vehicle parking either in theatres or multiplexes in the city. The rates depend on the managements concerned. Nowadays, multiplexes are even collecting separate parking fees from customers who come for shopping and for watching films," P Rama Mohana Rao, president, Telangana State Film Chamber of Commerce (TSFCC), told TOI.
He added that no theatre management is selling food items for the maximum retail price (MRP). "In some theatres, they do not display the MRP rates. The managements claim that they only provide space to vendors and have no control over their pricing," he said.
Even water bottles are sold for double the actual price, citing cooling charges. "Nowadays, audiences prefer mineral water bottles. It is a fact that we sell a one-litre bottle for Rs 40 since we utilize power for cooling. There isn't any fault in this," said a vendor at a theatre in Kukatpally.
However, customers are left with no choice as there are no alternative drinking water sources in malls. "The high prices have pushed a certain section of people away from theatres. They prefer to spend time in parks like NTR Garden, Lumbini Park, and Golconda due to skyrocketing rates of tickets and eatables," admitted a theatre manager.
QUOTES
I recently spent around Rs 200 to buy sweet corn, aloo samosa and a couple of soft drinks. Theatre managements are collecting double price on every food item - Jagadeesh, resident of Himayathnagar
There is no specific department that control the price of eatables and vehicle parking either in theatres or multiplexes in the city. The rates depend on the managements concerned - P Rama Mohana Rao, president, Telangana State Film Chamber of Commerce