The Telangana Film Chamber along with Telangana Exhibitors Association appealed today to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao to consider relaxing parking norms and waive the electricity bill for theatres that were shut down during the COVID-19 induced lockdown in the state.

"The government has been restricting the parking fees collected by theatre owners. We agree that a few multiplexes in the city violated the parking norms fixed by the government, but how can we manage without charging a nominal parking fee? Theatres cannot survive without selling food and beverages and collecting parking charges. The government should allow us to charge fair market prices or decide fixed rates for parking," quips Govind Raj, Owner of Sudarshan and Devi theatres, RTC X Roads.

The exhibitors have also urged the government to approve a hike in ticket prices and allow additional shows to boost the industry which has incurred huge losses due to the pandemic.

“The chief minister stated that he understood the difficulties faced by the Telugu film industry during the lockdown and assured us of all assistance. We request him to release a GO at the earliest, which would revive the film industry in this ongoing crisis," said M Vijayender Reddy, secretary, Telangana Exhibitors Association.

Murali Mohan, president of Telangana Film Chamber of Commerce, stated that they have paid wages to theatre workers without fail during the lockdown period. "Despite the closure of cinema theatres due to the pandemic, we paid wages to our workers on the due date without any deduction. The government should understand the ordeals we are going through and provide us with a resolution at the earliest," he urged.