"Even though the Andhra Pradesh state government has granted industry status to the Telugu film sector and is striving for its development, there appears to be a lack of basic courtesy and gratitude from the Telugu film fraternity towards the Andhra Pradesh government," Pawan Kalyan's office today alleged. The Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce, the Producers’ Council, and the Movie Artists Association have been accused of "forgetting how the previous government had humiliated and troubled top actors and technical experts".
The business practices of exhibitors and distributors who have formed groups, the cost borne by audiences, and whether the amenities provided to them are proportionate to what they pay are being discussed by the government. A comprehensive Film Development Policy will be announced soon in consultation with the Chief Minister.
Referring to the YSRCP regime, which "indulged in vendettas and created numerous hurdles for producers by deploying tahsildars at theaters during the release of films it did not favor", the statement said that the new government, led by CBN, has stayed true to its pre-election promise of showing no vendetta or favouritism. "The coalition government’s policy is that the system should function properly, and those dependent on it should not face difficulties," the statement added.
The Deputy CM recently advised that all stakeholders should come together and engage in clear discussions with the government. Producers like Dil Raju, Allu Aravind, D Suresh Babu, Y Supriya, S Radha Krishna, C. Ashwini Dutt, and Naveen Yerneni agreed that collective unity could help develop the industry as a whole. "Yet, despite this, individuals continue to approach the Cinematography Department separately, submitting petitions to increase ticket prices for their own films," the statement said.
"Going forward, there will be no room for personal appeals or individual discussions," the AP government has made it clear.
"Officials reported that most theaters are not operated by the actual owners but are under lease to third parties. The Deputy CM has directed the tax department to investigate whether these lessees are paying taxes properly and whether increased ticket prices have resulted in corresponding increases in tax revenue," the official note added. Excessive prices of snacks and beverages and the lack of proper drinking water facilities in cinema halls will be looked into. Weight and measures officials and food inspectors will conduct regular inspections to ensure better services for audiences.
The government is examining whether there is any difference in ticket pricing between "makeshift multiplexes" and traditional single-screen theaters, and at what price the tickets are actually being sold at the counters. There will be a focused review of the management, ticket prices, and snacks rates at multiplexes in cities like Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Nellore, Rajahmundry, Guntur, Kakinada, Tirupati, and others.
Finally, Pawan Kalyan envisions skill development across 24 segments of the film industry.
