The much-anticipated film Ramayana with Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash is set to hit theaters on November 5, 2026.
There has already been a lot of excitement with advance bookings. But now there is a concern about the high cost of some of the more costly types of screening.
PVR ICON IMAX 3D in Lower Parel, Mumbai, has listed recliner seats for some shows during the opening days for ₹3,170, according to media reports.
They are not the normal ticket rate for the movie. Other movie theaters and seating categories have much lower prices.
However, the ticket price of above ₹3,000 in one cinema ticket has been worrying as it has questioned its affordability, consumer protection and the power of the state government to control entertainment business.
The issue is significant since multiple Indian states already have laws on cinema ticket pricing and others give more freedom to the theatre owners.
Need Help With Your PhD or LLM Thesis?
Explore our thesis and dissertation writing support services for PhD and LLM students. Get subject-specific academic assistance for your research project.
Explore Our Services →Why is it that some Ramayana tickets are so costly?
The factors affecting the demand for cinema tickets are: place of screening, nature of screening, facilities at the cinema, and the number of people who want to see a film.
Even a standard screening at a regular movie theater can be much cheaper than an IMAX 3D movie that offers “luxury recliner seating.
Premium theatres also offer features such as enhanced sound systems, larger screens, comfortable seating and additional services.
Cinema owners are able to put up premium prices for popular showtimes and high-quality seats when a well-anticipated film is released.
This practice is called dynamic pricing, price changes owing to the demand and other commercial factors.
But this doesn’t give cinema operators unlimited leeway in terms of the law.
They are able to set ticket prices based on laws and regulations in the state in which the theatre is located.
Are Cinema Tickets Shoppers’ right?
Yes. Cinema ticket price can be controlled by the State Government by valid laws on licenses and exhibition of cinemas.
Restriction on freedom of business is allowed under the Constitution of India if the restriction is in accordance with the requirements of Article 19(6) of the Constitution of India.
Article 19(1)(g) provides that the citizens have the right to follow any trade, profession, craft or any business.
This freedom is not unlimited, however.
According to Article (19(6)) there is a right to reasonable restrictions in the interest of the public.
Thus, it is impossible for a cinema owner to say that any restriction on ticket prices by government is unconstitutional.
Meanwhile, the government needs to have the legal power to impose such restrictions.
If a law does not support an administrative order, the pricing restriction is not created.
What did Supreme Court say in Deepak Theatre case vs. State of Punjab?
Deepak Theatre, Dhuri v. State of Punjab (1992 Supp (1) SCC 684) is an important judgment on this issue.
The Supreme Court discussed the issues of whether the state had the power to control the admission to cinemas under the Punjab Cinemas (Regulation) Act, 1952, and the existing licensing regime.
The Court affirmed the provisions of the relevant statutes that authorized price regulation of tickets.
It acknowledged that the presentation of cinema, which was a private enterprise, was a public interest and that the government had a legitimate interest in regulating it.
Moreover, the freedom to carry on business under Article 19(1)(g) is subject to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(6), the Court explained.
The implications of this are that cinema ticket pricing doesn’t have to be completely up to the private commercial whim.
But the judgment does not leave all state governments free to set prices as they please without a law.
Restriction must still be considered in the context of related law and constitutional principles.
Karnataka’s ₹200 Cinema Ticket Cap Shows How States Can Intervene
The case of Karnataka is an example of the government intervention in film ticket pricing.
The state had issued rules to cap the ticket prices in covered theatres at ₹200 (excluding tax) in September 2025.
There was an exemption in the rules for a few small premium screens with special facilities.
Government said that price control would help to make cinema affordable for common people.
But cinema halls contested the bans at the Karnataka High Court.
The case brought questions concerning the government’s powers under the law, the economic effect on theaters, and a uniform price cap on these.
This is a case in point where despite having a bonafide public interest goal, the specific regulation could be subject to judicial review.
To determine if the price cap is legal, one must look at whether there is statutory authority for the cap, the process used in adopting the cap and whether the cap is constitutionally reasonable.
Additionally, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have also capped ticket prices.
Cinema regulations have been a tool used by both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to regulate ticket prices in the past.
They have had various pricing models – regular tickets vs premium seats.
There have also been conflicts over special ticket-price increases for big movies in both states.
In some instances, Governments allowed for the sale of higher-priced tickets for larger budget movies for the first few days.
These permissions were taken up in the courts of law.
The questions relating to the duration of special price hikes and whether governments have the power to exempt or allow extra screenings have been considered by the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana High Courts.
As seen in these types of fights, regulation doesn’t necessarily mean a forever low ticket price.
A state can have a generic price structure and allow for certain price hikes under specific conditions as outlined by law.
But exemptions and special permissions need to be in line with the governing legislation.
What for Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra?
Tamil Nadu’s history of regulating the admission price of films seems to be better.
Its ticket-price structure has restricted the price which covered theatres can charge, but categories, taxes and permissions need to be taken into account.
In general, the Maharashtra government has given more freedom to cinema owners regarding commercial pricing of tickets.
This disparity is one of the reasons why the extremely costly premium tickets are available in Mumbai, whereas in other states there are more stringent controls on the distribution of premium tickets.
But, even with more flexibility, Maharashtra cinema halls are not completely free of regulation.
They are still subject to relevant licensing, taxation and consumer protection laws and regulations.
It is also distinct if the concern is about convenience fees instead of the primary admission fee.
Do Cinemas have any extra convenience fees?
Service fees are often added to the ticket price on online booking platforms to provide convenience or services.
