₹500 premiere, court questions the price of admission
Telangana reports a special show for The Paradise on September 23, but the High Court has questioned the government’s last-minute ticket hike and missing reasons.
A special screening of The Paradise is scheduled in Telangana ahead of its release.
Telangana’s reported approval for a ₹500 special show of Nani-starrer The Paradise has reached the High Court before it reaches the screen. The show is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on September 23, ahead of the film’s September 24 release, according to multiple reports. The reported approval also permits temporary ticket increases from September 24 to October 3, with separate additional charges for single screens and multiplexes or special theatres.
The reported rates are ₹48 and ₹95, including GST, from September 24 to 27, followed by ₹23 and ₹45 from September 28 to October 3. The underlying Telangana government memo was not publicly available for verification, and one report gives conflicting dates for the second period.
The Telangana High Court has questioned the decision in a contempt petition. Justice N V Shravan Kumar reportedly said the memo gave no reasons for the increase and was issued too close to the start of the higher prices. The matter is listed for October 6, when the government is expected to file its response. The court has not been reported to have stayed or withdrawn the permission.
The government has apparently found time for a ₹500 ticket, but not for explaining it.