The Telangana High Court on Friday came down heavily on the state government and suspended its order that increased ticket prices for the much-anticipated Prabhas-starrer 'Raja Saab'. The court expressed strong disapproval of what it termed a repeated and blatant violation of its previous rulings on cinema ticket pricing.
Court's Stern Rebuke to Authorities
Justice NV Shravan Kumar, hearing a lunch motion petition challenging the hike issued late on Thursday, did not mince words. The bench pointed out that state ministers had publicly declared they would not permit increases in movie ticket rates and had instructed officials accordingly. Yet, the authorities proceeded to issue the hike order for 'Raja Saab', which was released on the same day as the hearing.
"The minister had himself announced in public that movie ticket rates would not be hiked, and that he had also clearly instructed the authorities. Yet, the officers do not pay heed to ministers or follow court orders," Justice Kumar remarked. The judge emphasized that issuing separate orders for each film was not the solution and directed the government to revisit its own Government Order (GO) that regulates ticket rates.
A Pattern of Defiance
This is not an isolated incident. The court's decision comes just a month after it suspended a similar government order from December 2025 that aimed to hike fares for the Tollywood film 'Akhanda 2', starring N Balakrishna. In that case, the court had even initiated contempt proceedings against the Special Chief Secretary of the Home Department, which were later stayed by a division bench.
Justice Kumar highlighted that a division bench had earlier laid down a rule that was binding on the state, its authorities, and the court itself. "It can only be challenged in the Supreme Court or reviewed, but issuing orders in this manner is nothing but a wilful violation and contempt of court," the judge observed sternly.
Producers' Pleas Fall on Deaf Ears
The court remained unmoved by the arguments presented by the film's producers, People Media Factory, and the ticketing platform BookMyShow. The producers contended that 'Raja Saab' is a high-budget project involving over 1,000 workers, while BookMyShow stated it had already sold over three lakh tickets in advance.
Theatre owners also argued that any adverse order would severely impact producers, workers, cinema owners, and even movie-goers who were willing to pay the higher price. However, the bench clarified that it was strictly dealing with the legality of the memo, which was issued in violation of the existing GO and court orders. The court passed the suspension order and adjourned the matter.
This ruling underscores an ongoing tussle between the judiciary and the executive in Telangana over the control of cinema ticket pricing, setting a clear precedent against arbitrary hikes.
