Entertainment Tax Is State Subject: Nirmala Sitharaman Loses Cool, Hits Out At Jaya Bachchan [Video]

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gave a befitting reply to actress-turned-politician Jaya Bachchan while responding to a question raised by the latter in the Parliament. A video of their heated verbal exchange has now gone viral.

It all started after Jaya Bachchan intervened during Nirmala Sitharaman's reply to the Budget discussion on the entertainment sector. Jaya took a sharp dig at the minister, calling her "a great storyteller," while questioning the tax burden that she said has driven up cinema ticket prices.

"You have given very good answers. You are a great storyteller - great entertainment for us," the Samajwadi Party MP remarked in the Rajya Sabha. "But I am speaking about the entertainment industry and rising ticket prices. We are among the highest tax-paying industries," she added.

Responding to her criticism, Sitharaman clarified that entertainment tax and ticket pricing fall under the jurisdiction of state governments, not the Centre.

"On the specific concern she raised - that the industry is suffering due to high ticket prices - I must submit that entertainment tax and ticketing are state subjects. There is no point in asking me," the Finance Minister said.

Bachchan had raised the issue while seeking to know whether the Union Budget 2026 offered any relief or incentives for the entertainment industry.

Rejecting the claim that the sector had been ignored, Sitharaman said the Budget had given "sustained attention" to the creative economy, especially in the areas of skill development and content creation.

"The Budget recognises animation, visual effects, and content creation as key growth engines. Accordingly, support has been announced. The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies will help skill professionals and establish creator labs in 1,500 schools. We aim to create two million professionals by 2030. Content creation is a highly skilled sector," she said.

She also announced new branches of the National Institute of Design to address shortages in specialised skills such as design, costumes, sets, and visual aesthetics.

Highlighting the government's broader push, Sitharaman pointed to the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 held in Mumbai.

"We organised WAVES 2025 as a global industry platform. More than 90 countries participated, over 10,000 delegates attended, thousands of creators were present, and over 300 companies took part. Are these not significant efforts for the entertainment industry?" she asked.

The video of their verbal exchange has now gone viral.

With inputs from ANI