Chennai: Tamil Nadu film theatre owners are lobbying with the government for flexible ‘discriminatory’ pricing of tickets, with entry fees varying with the stardom of its lead actors.

The minimum ticket for a superstar movie, like the one starring Kamal Hasan or a Rajinikanth could cost much higher than those starring lesser stars and unknown actors.

If the government nod comes in, ticket prices are set to soar. The issue is under discussion between the representatives of the film theatre owners and the government, after the end of the standoff on the post GST ticket pricing between the two sides.

But for other films, starring lesser stars and unknown actors, the prices may be much lesser. According to a theatre owner in the know of developments, a decision on the issue was round the corner. In fact, the flexible and discriminatory pricing was among the issues tossed around during the negotiations for ending GST standoff. The film theatre owners had gone on strike protesting the stiff local body tax over and above the 28 per cent GST that would make the ticket prices prohibitive.

According to proposals under consideration, the minimum ticket could be around Rs 50 and the highest pegged at Rs 160 in Chennai city and outside the capital, the price could be capped at Rs 140.

This is the basic price, over and above which the GST at 18 per cent (for ticket costing less than Rs 100) and 28 per cent GST for tickets costing upwards of Rs 100.

The theatre owners have been pressing for a hike in pricing as in Tamil Nadu, the trade was strictly regulated and ticket prices were fixed and now allowed to be changed.