Make it reasonable: Supreme Court raises concerns over high multiplex rates

Mumbai: The Supreme Court on Monday flagged the high prices at multiplexes. The court questioned the exorbitant rates charged for refreshments and tickets. The bench asked why a bottle of water should be priced at Rs 100 and coffee, Rs 700. 

The observations and questions were raised by Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta while hearing petitions filed by the Multiplex Association of India against the Karnataka High Court's order that upholds the state's decision to cap movie tickets. The bench cited examples of unreasonable costing in theatre. The bench even warned that the cinema halls would be empty. Justice Nath asserted the importance of affordable entertainment. 

Meanwhile, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for the Multiplex Association, compared the prices charged at five-star hotels. He stated that the Taj will charge Rs 1000 for a cup of coffee. He added, "It's a matter of choice." 

Additionally, they also argued against the court's direction to maintain records of transactions, sale dates, payment modes, GST, etc. The advocate stated that the directive was impractical, considering the increased rate of online bookings and other operational challenges of verifying cash transactions. They added that such strict record-keeping can hinder the daily operations routine. 

Following the argument, the Supreme Court stayed the order issued by the Karnataka High Court that enforced multiplexes to maintain auditable records for ticket sales, etc. However, the bench asserted the importance of making the prices reasonable to maintain the sustainability of cinema. 

Recently, the Karnataka Cinemas (Regulation) (Amendment) Rules, 2025, decided to cap cinema tickets at Rs 200. The Multiplex Association of India (MAI), prominent film producers, and multiplex chains like PVR Inox weren't happy and challenged it in court.