Hyderabad: Officials conducting extensive searches in movie theatres to review compliance of norms seized several cinemas Thursday. The officials were checking if ticket prices, fire safety norms and covid protocol were being followed.
Officials investigated the rates of online and offline tickets and snacks at food stalls, and noticed that they were far higher than what has been set by the government. According to reports, the government will set prices in all theatres, including multiplexes.
In Chittoor district, 52 theatres were seized in a single day, with owners issued notices asking why renewal terms of permits had not been complied with.
As many as 12 theatres were seized in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh during raids in Nuziveedu, Avanigadda and Gudivada, according to a Telangana Today report.
NV Prasad, former president of the Film Chamber, met Chittor District Joint Collector P Rajababu to discuss the action on theatres. The joint collector promised that the theatres would be reopened within two days if all the norms were followed.
There has been a controversy brewing in the Telugu film industry of late over a recent government order on ticket prices.
Telugu film actor Nani commented on Thursday that the government had insulted the audience by lowering cinema ticket rates in Andhra Pradesh.
Earlier, actors Chiranjeevi, Siddharth, and filmmaker K Raghavendra Rao expressed their displeasure over the Andhra Pradesh government's decision to set a lower price restriction on cinema tickets.
(With inputs from ABP Desam — It is a Telugu platform of ABP News. For more news, commentary and latest happenings from two Telugu states, follow https://telugu.abplive.com//amp)