About CE ticket price 'Chennai Express' ticket prices won't increase
Nitisha Kashyap, TNN | Aug 8, 2013, 12.00AM IST
August sees some big-ticket releases starting from 'Chennai Express'. While ticket prices in Mumbai are set to increase by 40% because of the Eid weekend and other holidays, in Delhi, prices are not changing. Hooray!
Movie releases during Eid, Diwali and Christmas are almost always locked by big-ticket blockbusters. Movie-goers too, are used to a hike in ticket prices, because of the festive season and because mostly, the films are awaited releases of a big star. However, this Eid - which is also an extended weekend - ticket prices in Delhi are not increasing, or increasing by only 5-10%.
Eid, which is on August 9, brings a series of big films. Chennai Express releases on Eid, which will be followed by Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara, Madras Cafe and Satyagraha later this month. It's a big month in terms of movie releases, but ticket prices are set to remain unchanged.
Not increasing prices
While in Mumbai, ticket prices are set to increase by as much as 40% on weekdays and 20% on weekends, Delhi and NCR will have very minimal or no change in rates. Anant Verma, business head, DT Cinemas, tells us, "We are not increasing the rates on Eid. All prices will remain as they are. We stick to the norms of the Delhi Licensing Department, which permits us to increase prices twice a year. We raised prices recently, for Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, but that too by 7-10%. So, we'll not increase prices now."
DT Cinemas' branch in Gurgaon doesn't come under the Delhi Licensing Department, but prices there too, will not change. "We can increase prices in Gurgaon, but as company policy, we aren't doing so," says Verma. The pricing in PVR will also be normal, says Rahul Singh, senior VP, Operations, PVR LTD. "Eid is on Friday and Chennai Express is the only film releasing that weekend. People will be eagerly waiting for it. Our pricing in Delhi and NCR will be normal," he says, "We get the rates approved in the beginning of the year, which are different for different films. For a blockbuster, rates are different, and different for a low-budget film. If a film is three hours long, its rate is different. We are considering Chennai Express a blockbuster, so its tickets will be priced like that. It could start from 100 for weekdays, and 300-350 for weekends."
Similarly, Ashish Saxena, head, Operations, Big Cinemas, says, "We are not increasing prices, but the pricing will be that of a blockbuster."
Minimal hike in prices
Since in Delhi, ticket pricing is monitored by the Licensing Department, "We have very little scope to increase prices," says Vishal Anand, senior VP, Operations, Fun Cinemas, "There is a slot, and whatever increase happens, happens within the slot. It's not a free market like MP or Maharashtra, where ticket prices can be increased by as much as you want. This month has festivals (Eid, Rakhi, Bhai Dooj), a national holiday, and extended weekends, and to top all that, big stars' films are releasing. Prices are hiked for big releases. If we look at past records, Eid is a very strong period. And with the release of four big movies, we are hoping August to be a big month. So, the ticket prices will see a variation, but there'll be a negligible increase - not more than 5%. Ticket price 10 se 15 ho jayega."
Yes, no, maybe: 5-10%hike
Some cinemas are still not sure if they'll raise prices. Yogesh Raizada, corporate head, Wave Cinemas, says, "June and July were dull in terms of releases. This month is going to be a great month for us. Pricing depends on how big the film is. Pehle log Shah Rukh ya Amitabh ki movie ke liye black mein 500 tak dete thay. Paying capacity of the consumer is directly proportional to the star cast. We'll decide our rates depending on the request of distributors, and what the competition's prices are. But it's not going to be more than a 5-10% increase."
Munish Sharma, GM, Marketing, Satyam, says, "As of now, we are not raising prices. But if there'll be an increase, it'll be as per industry norms." RK Mehrotra, GM, Delite, says, "Distributors have requested us to raise ticket prices. Last time, this request for Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani was not approved. So, this time, we may increase rates."
How do price slots work?
Ticket prices in Delhi are monitored as in a union territory. In the beginning of the year, all cinema halls have to apply for slots, which are five different prices that cinema halls can apply anytime the whole year. These slots have to be approved by the Delhi Licensing Department, and every hall has different slots.
For example, for a blockbuster, a cinema hall applies for 300 as the ticket rate; for a low-budget film, '150; and for a long movie, 250. So, whenever a movie is released, its ticket price is decided accordingly.
The upgradation of rates is allowed twice a year. Meaning, if one wants to hike a ticket from 300 to 320, it can be done only twice a year. Also, halls have to give a reason for the upgrade, common reasons being inflation, food prices, electricity bills and more manpower.
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