By Kavita Mistry 
The Supreme Court has raised alarms over the skyrocketing costs of water bottles, coffees, and snacks at multiplexes, warning that such pricing could soon drive audiences away.
Popcorn, Prices, and the Multiplex Madness
The bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta was hearing petitions challenging the Karnataka High Court’s stay on the state government’s Rs 200 cap on multiplex ticket prices.
The top court mentioned that the multiplexes must fix the rates so that people enjoy coming to movies, “otherwise the cinema halls will be empty”. Justice Nath said that “You charge 100 Rupees for water bottle, 700 Rupees for coffee….”, to which the senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Multiplex Association, said, “Taj will charge Rs 1000 for coffee, can you fix it?” While giving this analogy, he added that “It is a matter of choice”.
On the contrary, given the recent decline in the popularity, the court said that “Cinema as it is declining, make it more reasonable for people to come and enjoy, otherwise, cinema halls will be empty.”
Rohatgi quipped that “Let it be empty, this is only for multiplex. You can go to the normal ones. Why do you want to come here only?”
Justice Nath countered, “There are no normal ones left.”
SC Slams Multiplex ‘Overpricing,’ Backs ₹200 Ticket Cap, and Halts Buyer ID Tracking
A division bench of the Karnataka High Court had directed the multiplexes to meticulously maintain verifiable records for each ticket dispensed, ensuring the capacity to trace the identities of individuals acquiring tickets, irrespective of whether the purchase was executed digitally or physically. This directive was issued with the contingency that refunds could be processed if the multiplexes ultimately did not prevail in the ongoing legal dispute.
Expressing his agreement, Justice Nath stated, “We concur with the division bench’s stance, that the price ceiling should be 200 rupees.” In response to this assertion, Rohatgi reiterated his earlier argument, stating, “It remains a fundamental matter of personal choice.”
Rohatgi highlighted the practical difficulties involved in collecting identification details from consumers, particularly since the vast majority of tickets are procured via electronic booking platforms such as BookMyShow. “The respected judges appear to believe that ticket transactions primarily occur at a physical counter. The reality is that tickets are predominantly distributed through online aggregators like BookMyShow,” Rohatgi remarked, as documented by Live Law.
“These intermediaries will possess the relevant customer information. I do not retain any such personal details or identification records. Hardly anyone opts to purchase a ticket directly at the box office anymore,” Rohatgi asserted, emphasizing the view that the High Court’s mandates were “practically impossible to implement.”
“Who actually brings an identification card specifically to purchase a movie ticket? The High Court’s order implies that for every cash-based ticket acquisition, the associated ID card particulars must be recorded,” he elaborated, according to the same report.
The Supreme Court bench has, for the time being, issued a suspension of the specific conditions imposed by the High Court.
Summary
Warning that the soaring cost of snacks and tickets in cinema halls could eventually render them empty, the supreme court while hearing out to the challenge to the Karnataka High Court’s stay on ticket capping, said that the bench agreed with the proposed price ceiling. As a counter, Advocate Rohatgi argued it was a “matter of choice.” Alongside this, the apex court has also temporarily stayed the Karnataka High Court’s order for multiplexes to track ticket purchasers.