With the success of Cinema Lovers Day, Taran Adarsh appeals to the industry to reduce prices of tickets and popcorn: “Until yesterday, theatres were running empty. What happened today that so many people are thronging cinemas in hordes? It’s obviously due to the offer”

After nearly two months of dry period, the industry got a boost with the release of Mr & Mrs Mahi. The Rajkummar Rao-Janhvi Kapoor starrer had moderate buzz. But it opened to around Rs. 7 crores, thanks to the Cinema Lovers Day offer. The tickets for all films were sold for just Rs. 99 in most cinemas. Mr & Mrs Mahi was the first choice for moviegoers as it was the latest and most exciting film in theatres. What astonished the trade and industry is that the film registered a solid advance, eclipsing the ticket sales of Hrithik Roshan-Deepika Padukone’s biggie, Fighter.Interestingly, Laapataa Ladies’ box office trending can also be attributed to correct pricing. Not many are aware that from the second weekend, its makers decided to sell the tickets for a maximum of Rs. 150, even on weekends. This unusual move paid off and it was common to see its shows running with full occupancy, in the seventh and eighth weeks, and even beyond that.On Cinema Lovers Day, trade veteran Taran Adarsh tweeted that it’s crucial that ticket rates are made affordable. He also appealed to theatres not to sell popcorn at inflated rates. Bollywood Hungama exclusively spoke to Taran Adarsh on this topic.Taran Adarsh began by saying, “During the single-screen era, the ticket rates used to be very nominal and affordable. Those were the days when there used to be serpentine queues even for advance booking. Theatres used to be 1000-seaters and yet, they used to be housefull. Aaj kal 200 seat ke theatre ko full karna mushkil ho gaya hai, and one of the reasons is the pricing. I have always said that the love for Bollywood can never fade. But the ticket rates need to be affordable. Today, it’s common knowledge that a film will be released on OTT in 8 weeks. Then why would viewers pay Rs. 2000 for movie tickets? And look at the prices of the popcorn and other refreshments. It is so unaffordable. For the common man, it really hurts the pocket. They’d rather spend their money elsewhere – in a restaurant or a mall.”He added, “Hence, to attract the audience, we need to keep the pricing in check, not just of the tickets but also of F&B as well as an actor’s remuneration.”Taran Adarsh suggested, “For affordable ticket rates, the industry has to get together – distributors, studios, producers, etc. But when it comes to F&B, it is the call of the exhibitor or the multiplex chain. It’s not fair that a moviegoer is offered the ticket for just Rs. 99 but has to shell out Rs. 400 or even more for popcorn. Someone from the industry told me, ‘Patrons ko bolo pehle se kha ke aaye’. My reply was ‘If the children feel hungry and want to have popcorn in the interval or any other snack, should they leave the theatre to get food?’!”He clarified, “One needs to maintain the balance. I am not saying aap mat kamao. Theatres have every right to earn. That also doesn’t mean they should overcharge.”Citing the example of Cinema Lovers Day, the trade veteran argued, “Until yesterday, theatres were running empty. What happened today that so many people are thronging cinemas in hordes? It’s obviously due to the offer. India is a price-sensitive market. We check the rates for all the products, even while buying vegetables. And on top of it, we even bargain. And not just in India, this happens worldwide that people check the price tag first.”Taran also remarked that low price alone won’t be sufficient saying, “The content also has to match. For instance, if you are going to sell tickets of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan for Rs. 99, toh fir maaf karna!”Would Mr & Mrs Mahi have got such an opening without the Cinema Lovers Day offer? Taran answered, “No, without the offer, it would not have got so many ‘orange’ shows! Maybe in the evening, it would have. But since this morning, it is running house full or near sold out and that’s thanks to the offer.”KEEP TICKET PRICING AFFORDABLE... ALSO, CAP ON F&B CHARGES IMPORTANT... #India is a price-sensitive market and consumers are cautious when it comes to spending money... #CinemaLoversDay is a shining example of ticket prices going down and volume [of moviegoers] rising overnight.... pic.twitter.com/lsgkm228Im— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) May 31, 2024While advocating for cheaper ticket rates, Taran Adarsh also added that certain highly awaited films can have expensive tickets as there’ll be urgency to watch them on the big screen. “I am not implying that if Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan or Pathaan releases, its tickets should be sold for Rs. 99,” he said. “Those films can have a different pricing. Har film ko ek tarazu mein mat tolo. Srikanth, Laapataa Ladies aur Pathaan ki pricing same nahin ho sakti. In today’s times, Shah Rukh and Ranbir Kapoor’s craze is sky high and for their films, it’s fair if blockbuster pricing is implemented.”Taran Adarsh’s belief is solidified by the fact that even the earlier Cinema Lovers Day and National Cinema Day editions were successful. “Article 370 also got the benefit of Cinema Lovers Day as well. Even Crakk had house full shows though it crashed on day 2. But it got the push on day 1 due to the price,” he said.Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Multiplexes and most single-screen theatres to sell tickets for Rs. 99 on Cinema Lovers Day on April 19; Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2, Do Aur Do Pyaar and holdover releases to benefit