Andhra Pradesh HC Restricts Screening Of 'Game Changer' Movie To 5 Shows Per Day, State To Ensure Police Arrangement For Any Early/Late Shows

Denying permission to screen more than five shows in a day for Ram Charan starrer 'Game Changer' and Nandamuri Balakrishna starrer 'Daaku Maharaj', the Andhra Pradesh High Court observed that the state government's memo granting this permission did not reflect the additional material based on which decision was taken. The court also said that the higher tickets rates for the two movies can be charged only for a period of 10 days. It also underscored that if any show is held at late/early hours then it should not exceed the 5-show-a-day limit with the State ensuring "proper police arrangements" for such shows.The order was passed in a writ petition against a January 4 memo issued by the state's Principal Secretary giving certain concessions for screening the movies–'Game Changer' which released on January 10 and 'Daaku Maharaj' which released on January 12. With respect to 'Game Changer', the memo permitted the screening of one benefit show and six regular shows on January 10 with permission to charge higher rates for the tickets. Apart from this, the memo also permitted screening of five shows from January 11-23 by permitting the private respondent to charge higher rates as mentioned in the said memo. The petitioner claimed that the January 4 memo with regard to "Game Changer" permitted the screening of six shows on January 10 with permission to screen an extra show at 4:00 A.M., which was stated to be separate from the screening of the benefit show at 1:00 A.M. on January 10. Similar permissions were granted with respect to Daaku Maharaj. Observing that permission to collect higher rates beyond the period of 10 days was impermissible, a division bench of Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Ravi Cheemalapati said, “we noticed that the memos, dated 04.01.2025, permit the screening of one benefit show at 01.00 A.M. on 10.01.2025 and six shows on the same day, which also includes an extra show at 04.00 A.M. The permission granted to screen shows beyond the five shows, which were permitted in terms of G.O.Ms No.13, in our opinion is also not sustainable in as much as the impugned memos do not at all reflect as to what was that additional material which was before the Government, which enabled the Government to come to a conclusion, contrary to the recommendations of the committee which had recommended screening of only five shows a day”."We, therefore, order that while the private respondents would be permitted to get the benefit of both the memos, dated 04.01.2025, benefits would be limited to charging higher ticket rates only for a period of ten days and further that the screening of the movies on any given day, be it called a benefit show or an extra show would not exceed five in a day," the court added. The court said that it was not sure whether the State, which otherwise had claimed that it is short of the requisite strength of police personnel, would be able to manage the surging crowds at odd hours–at 01.00 A.M. in the morning or for that matter the extra show, which they have permitted to be screened at 04.00 AM in the morning. The bench said that while the policy of the Government appears to be to permit the "producers of big budget movies to charge higher rate for the tickets to enable them to recoup their investments made", yet this cannot be allowed at the "cost of law and order". "Needless to say that it at all any show is held during late or early hours, it should not in any case be more than five in a day and it would be the responsibility of the State to ensure proper police arrangements for such shows," the court said. Notably, a similar petition was filed in the Telangana High Court, wherein the high court had in an interim order directed the Telangana Government to review its decision which permitted an increased fare for tickets to the screening of 'Game-Changer'. The Telangana high court had also orally criticised the State government for permitting the screening of the movie at 4 am. The matter is next listed on February 19. Case title: Angela Srinivasulu vs. Union of India and Others.Case No: WP(PIL) No: 7 of 2025Click Here To Read/Download Order

Andhra Pradesh HC Restricts Screening Of 'Game Changer' Movie To 5 Shows Per Day, State To Ensure Police Arrangement For Any Early/Late Shows

Siddhi Nigam

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