Image credit : Illustrative image

Chennai : After Maharahstra government ordered multiplexes to sell edible items at MRP and not at inflated rates that the theater owners charged, it has opened similar demands from filmgoers in different cities. Immediately following Maharashtra was Karnataka that also was toying with the idea of a crackdown against cinema owners.

Karnataka is still studying the matter, but Telangana on Wednesday came out with an order that from August 1 all packaged food items including drinking water bottles, aeriated drinks, potato wafers, popcorn and other edible items sold will have to sold at MRP in multiplex food courts and single screen theatre canteens in Hyderabad.

The controller of State Legal Metrology department Akun Sabharwal has directed the multiplex theatres to implement the decision of the government, taken on Tuesday. At present, the packaged foods are being sold at extraordinarily high rates, 200 per cent more than the MRP mentioned on the food items and water bottles and cold drinks.

With the film goes has to cough up the amount or go hungry and thirsty as they do not allow outside food items to brought into the theatre. The Maharashtra government had also ordered the threatre owners to allow food and other items being brought in by the patrons without any hinderance.

From August 1, in Hyderabad multiplexes and single screen theatres, prices of the items must be mentioned. In case of cold drinks from vending machines, they should be sold at MRP of the same volume the government order said.