The Andhra Pradesh Film, Television and Theatre Development Corporation (APSFTTDC) will launch a portal titled ‘Your Screens’ for selling movie tickets at affordable prices stipulated by the government without hefty extra charges.
APSFTTDC Managing Director T. Vijay Kumar Reddy, in a press release on Wednesday, said that the theatres could still sell 50% of the tickets through service providers as per the existing agreements. The initiative intends to curb the black-marketing of tickets, he said.
He said that once the government portal was ready, tickets would be available at rates exclusive of ₹20 to ₹25 being charged over and above the actual prices on other booking portals. Through the new system, tickets would be sold at a nominal additional amount of ₹1.95 towards platform charge.
Mr. Vijay Kumar Reddy pointed out that online ticket was being introduced by the government after detailed discussions were held with the exhibitors, distributors, producers, service providers and the representatives of 24 film industry craft associations in September last year.
The revenue earned by the government from the online sale of tickets would be credited into the bank accounts of the theatres the same day.
Agreements with private service providers that existed as on December 17, 2021 have been already extended.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has ordered an investigation into the alleged misconduct of a leading private online ticket seller on the basis of a prima facie evidence, Mr. Vijay Kumar Reddy added.
