 "HC rejects plea against Pushpa 2 release, imposes penalty on petitioner")
According to people familiar with the situation, the Telangana high court on Tuesday declined to postpone the release of the highly anticipated Telugu movie "Pushpa-2: The Rule," citing the producers' authorization to raise ticket costs from viewers.
A high court bench headed by Justice B Vijay Sen Reddy, hearing the public interest litigation (PIL) said it cannot stop the release of the film at this moment.
All you need to know about the PIL filed on the Pushpa 2 release case
The petitioner's attorney alerted the court to the fact that each ticket was being charged an extra Rs 800 under the guise of benefit shows. The first 15 days are also subject to the higher rates. He contended “The revenue generated was not being allocated to charitable funds or relief efforts but rather benefiting the producer directly".
The attorney for Mythri Movie Makers contended that the film's high production costs necessitated raising the ticket pricing. The benefit events were intended solely for fan associations, he added, which is why the fees were increased.
In the name of a benefit show, the governments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have raised the cost of tickets for "Pushpa-2: The Rule," which will be released on Wednesday night with a 9.30 p.m. first screening.
The Telangana government allows the filmmakers to show the benefit show at 9.30 p.m. on Wednesday in all Telangana theaters, including single screens and multiplexes, with a ticket price increase of Rs 800, plus GST.
The bench statement on the Pushpa 2 release case
A high court panel led by Justice B Vijay Sen Reddy, which was considering a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the dramatic rise in the movie's ticket costs, stated that it is unable to halt its release at this time. The bench agreed with Srinivasa Reddy, the petitioner's counsel, who argued that the cost of the tickets might prevent the common man from seeing the movie in theatres.
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Nonetheless, it granted two weeks to file a counter, granting the request of Siddharth, the attorney for the film's producer, Mythri Movie Makers. The case was rescheduled for a hearing on December 17.
The judge questioned how the average person could pay over Rs 1,000 to see the movie in a theater. “If a family of 10 people wants to watch this movie in the theatre, it has to spend nearly Rs 10,000. Is it not a huge burden on a family?” Justice Reddy also criticized the producers for showing the movie's benefit show till one in the morning, claiming that this would have a negative impact on people's health.
Pushpa 2 release: The final decision
The higher prices will remain in effect until December 8; after that, single-screen and multiplexes will be permitted to raise ticket prices by Rs 105 and Rs 150 until December 16 and Rs 20 and Rs 50 until December 23. According to the Telangana government directive, "Apart from the hike, the GST will be charged additionally."
Tickets for the December 4 premiere show in Andhra Pradesh cost Rs 944 (GST included) for both single screens and multiplexes. Tickets for single-screen cinemas will cost Rs 324.50 on the day of the official release, December 5, while those for multiplex theatres will cost Rs 413.
The main actors in Sukumar's "Pushpa 2: The Rule" are Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Faasil. One of the most anticipated films of 2024, it was produced by Mythri Movie Makers' Naveen Yerneni and Ravi Shankar.