Salman Khan wants Karnataka-style price cap on movie tickets across the country: “There should be price cap on popcorn as well”; remarks that India is an under-screened market: “We are a minimum 20,000 + theatres short”
Salman Khan spoke his heart out during the group interaction held at a five-star hotel in Mumbai as part of promotions of Sikandar. Towards the end of the interview, he was asked about the recent decision by the government of Karnataka to have a cap of Rs. 200 on movie tickets.
Salman Khan said, “I really want that there’s a price cap on movie tickets. I also feel that there should be capping on the prices of popcorn and cold drinks. The producer should also get a share out of it.”
He also sighed over the fact that India is an under-screened market, “We are a minimum 20,000 + theatres short in our country. We are releasing our films in just 6000 screens. We were shooting for Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) in Mandawa, Rajasthan, from where 100 billionaires have come out. There’s not a single theatre in that town. You have to drive 2 ½ drive to see a film. Hence, there’s a shortage of cinema halls.”
When asked how he defines mass cinema, Salman Khan made an important comment, “The separation between mass and class cinema has gone away. Now, even in multiplexes, people have started whistling. The same happens in Gaiety-Galaxy.”
He continued, “People pay a huge amount and buy tickets in black. Ideally, they should be paying the same amount – Rs. 1500 or Rs. 2000 – and watch the film in a multiplex. You might get maybe 3 tickets in that amount. But they say ‘Nahin, humko toh Gaiety mein hi film dekhni hai’!”
The superstar continued, “Even PVR Inox waale prefer to watch a film in a Gaiety-Galaxy. They enjoy the experience there. They watch the film again as they are unable to understand (due to the whistles and noise).”
Sikandar releases in cinemas on March 30.
Also Read: Salman Khan talks about Salim Khan-Salma Khan’s love story: “The issue was not that my father was a Muslim while my mother was a Hindu. The problem was that ‘Yeh aadmi film industry ka hai’”