Chennai: State Information and Publicity Minister Kadambur C Raju has announced that the government is taking steps to make sale of tickets in cinemas completely online besides regulating parking fees and the price of snacks sold in the theatres. At a time when the film industry is in a bad shape, his announcement should give them some hope.
The major complaint against the industry is the lack of transparency. There is no proper body to come out with exact collections of movies and number of tickets sold across theatres. A move to make ticket sales online would end lots of confusion. Sources in the government say that it doesn’t mean that everyone has to buy tickets only online. They can still buy tickets from theatres at the counter which would also be connected to online. People say already going to theatres have become a costly affair. So the government can cut down the extra charge for online booking and introduce the scheme.
Audience appreciate the fact that government is coming forward to check the price of snacks sold at canteens in theatres. Many say that they fleece. A family of four going to theatre on a week-end end up spending maximum for just three hours of entertainment. Also they want quality checks on items being sold there. The government should not just interact with industry people before going ahead with their decision, but also take into account the opinion of general public.