The State government has informed the Kerala High Court that it has constituted a committee to examine and recommend measures to regulate the pricing of cinema tickets, including the dynamic pricing models adopted by multiplexes [Manu Nair G v. State of Kerala & ors].
The submission was made in an affidavit filed by the State in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by advocate Manu Nair G, challenging the practice of dynamic ticket pricing in multiplexes such as PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis.
A Bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji on Monday directed the State to file a memo along with the Government Order (GO) notifying the constitution of the committee, and posted the matter for further hearing on August 14, 2025.
The affidavit filed by Rajee R Pillai, Under Secretary of the State's Cultural Affairs Department, said that the issue of unregulated ticket pricing was being seriously considered.
The State noted that currently, no comprehensive legal framework existed under the Kerala Cinemas (Regulation) Act, 1958 or the 1988 Rules, to control or cap movie ticket prices.
The affidavit explained that prior to the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), local self government institutions fixed ticket rates while issuing licences, taking into account the entertainment tax. However, after the implementation of GST, the decision was left to theatre operators, leading to the widespread use of dynamic pricing in the State.
The government added that preliminary discussions were underway on creating a regulatory mechanism that would categorise theatres based on amenities and services offered. The committee would examine the fixing of maximum ticket rates according to the category of cinema theatres, thereby allowing theatre owners to set ticket prices within specified limits.
"The theatre owners may decide the rates based on the maximum rates fixed by the regulatory body however these are only discussions at the preliminary stage and a detailed study and discussion is needed. it is submitted that the state govt is looking into this matter and evolving a method by way of a policy decision to regulate the pricing," the affidavit stated.
The process, it added, would require detailed study and multiple rounds of consultation which would likely take at least three months to complete.
The affidavit added that the seven member committee set up to examine these issues was constituted through a Government Order dated July 26, 2025.
The panel is chaired by the Chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation and includes the Chairman of the Kerala State Chalachithra Academy, Chairman of the Kerala State Cultural Activists Welfare Fund Board, Secretary of the Kerala State Chalachithra Academy, a representative from the Local Self Government Department, a representative from the Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation, and the Managing Director of the Kerala Film Development Corporation, who will serve as the convenor.
The petition before the Court had raised concerns that ticket rates were often hiked arbitrarily based on time slots, demand, and release status, particularly in the early weeks of a film's release, without any oversight from licensing authorities.
The petitioner had stated that this violated Article 14 of the Constitution, as several other States, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, had capped ticket prices through government orders.
The plea sought directions to the Kerala government to frame a regulatory mechanism and to impose an interim ban on dynamic pricing until such a policy was in place.
The petitioner, Manu Nair G appeared in person.
The State was represented by senior government pleader Thushara James.
Senior counsel Santhosh Mathew, along with advocates Aswin Gopakumar, Anwin Gopakumar, Aditya Venugopalan, Mahesh Chandran, Saranya Babu, Gopika BS, Abhishek S, and Rohit P, appeared for FICCI, and the Multiplex Association of India.