Single screen theatre owners in the city are in a dilemma, whether to run theatre with a pittance of profit or close them.
For, more than 60 theatres have been closed in recent times, including popular ones like Natraj and Ajanta in Secunderabad and Deepak at Narayanguda.
Anand on Sardar Patel Road too has stopped screening films.
“We don’t want to close down but in order to survive we must remodel the theatres, provide better amenities and give audience the multiplex feel at least if not convert them into mulitiplexes,” says a single theatre owner. But for this, a huge investment is required. “We have to pump in a lot of money,” the owner says.
Good examples of this are Sangeet, Sudershan 70 mm, and Odeon. A multiplex not only means large number of audience but one will have the flexibility to charge more for a ticket. “Those who do not have enough moolah need to provide multiplex like facilities to audience,” he said. The remodeled Tivoli at Secunderabad has shown that giving a multiplex feel does work in favour of the theatre owners. This is the first part of the two-phase plan that the theatre owner has.
“Our experiment proved to be successful. We are planning to add one more to the existing two theatre so that we can charge more. As per multiplex rules, there should be at least three theatres,” said Harminder Singh Lamba, proprietor of the theatres.
Multiplexes can charge up to Rs 150 per ticket but a single screen theatre, even if it provides the best of amenities cannot charge more than Rs 60.
“Single screen owners want to remodel their theatres but cannot increase their admission rates. The state government’s policy is discriminatory,” said Bala Govind Raju, secretary of Twin Cities Cinema Exhibitors Association.
Raju, a partner in the popular Devi theatre at RTC Crossroads pointed out that in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, there is an option for flexible pricing.
If a theatre has better facilities, despite not being a multiplex, it can charge higher admission rate.
“It is for the filmgoer to decide whether he wants to pay higher price or not. Why should the state government be an impediment for providing better amenities and drawing audiences to the theatres?” Raju asked.
In Bangalore, for instance, the Devi Complex and Urvasi, which are single screen theatres are said to be doing extremely well as they can fix their own ticket price.
If this were to happen, more than 80 per cent of the single screen theatres would remodel their theaters, aver cine industry sources. Lamba in Secunderabad, slated to reopen on February 24 as a remodeled 912-seat theatre, will have better seating facilities.
The facility will provide food courts, a play area, shopping and several other amenities. However, the problem is that it cannot charge more admission rates than what is permitted for a single-screen theatre, despite being as good as a multiplex.
