Tamil Nadu theatre owners call off strike, to resume shows

Nearly 1,000 cinema halls in the state had been shut since July 3 to protest the imposition of 30 per cent local body tax in addition to GST on movie tickets.

By Chennabasaveshwar

Updated: Thursday, July 6, 2017, 17:00 [IST]

Theatre owners in Tamil Nadu on Thursday called off their indefinite strike over 30 per cent local body tax on movie tickets. Film shows will resume this evening.

A notice pasted outside a cineplex states cancellation of movie shows, at a protest, in Chennai on Wednesday. The theatres across Tamil Nadu remained shut following the imposition of 30 per cent corporation tax and 28 per cent GST. PTI Photo

'A committee of government and our representatives formed to sort out the issue of tax, so we have decided to call off strike,' said Abhirami Ramanathan of Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners and Distributors Association.

Nearly 1,000 cinema halls in the state had been shut since July 3 to protest the imposition of 30 per cent local body tax in addition to GST on movie tickets.

Besides the local body tax, a GST of 18 per cent has been fixed for tickets priced below Rs 100 and 28 per cent for those above Rs 100.

Members of the Tamil Film Producers Council, the South Indian Artistes Association, along with the theatre owners and distributors, had met Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Monday.

Rajinikanth, who is currently in the US for a health checkup, had yesterday requested the government to consider the film industry's plea.

(With agency inputs)