Telangana HC Expresses Anger Over ‘Game Changer’ Extra Shows and Ticket Price Hikes

The Telangana High Court expressed strong displeasure over granting permission for early morning screenings of popular films and allowing only a 15-minute gap between consecutive shows. The court’s remarks came during the hearing of petitions filed against the special shows and increased ticket prices for Ram Charan’s upcoming film ‘Game Changer.’

Petitioners objected to the permission granted for 4 a.m. shows, stating that such approvals should be issued by the licensing authority, not through a memo from the Principal Secretary of the Home Department. They further argued that allowing a hike in ticket prices was inappropriate. Referring to a similar incident during the release of ‘Pushpa-2,’ they highlighted that insufficient intervals between shows created significant crowd management issues.

Justice B. Vijayasen Reddy’s bench raised serious concerns over children under the age of 16 attending such late-night or early morning shows. The court questioned, "What happens if children under 16 attend shows at 4 a.m.?" and stressed that children should not be allowed to attend such screenings, as it could negatively impact their health. Additionally, the court pointed out the added burden on police in managing large crowds during odd hours.

The bench was critical of the short 15-minute interval between screenings, questioning how hundreds of vehicles could be managed for parking and exit in such a limited time. The court suggested that the petitions have a public interest nature and opined that filing a public interest litigation (PIL) regarding additional shows, benefit shows, and ticket price hikes would be more appropriate.

The court adjourned further hearing on the matter to Friday (today).