Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu Gets Telangana HC Notice Over ₹42 Crore Ticket Price Hike

 The Telangana High Court on Friday, January 23, heard petitions seeking the recovery of Rs 42 crore that was allegedly collected through increased ticket prices for the recently released Chiranjeevi-starrer Mana Shankaravaraprasad Garu.

A bench headed by Justice N V Shravankumar directed the issuance of notices to several concerned parties, including senior government officials, film producers, distributors, and online ticketing platform BookMyShow. The court has scheduled further proceedings after the completion of notice service.

Petitioners Seek Cancellation of Price Hike Approval

The petitions, filed by P Srinivasa Reddy and another individual, challenged a government memo that allowed the temporary escalation of ticket prices. The petitioners argued that the approval led to an unfair financial burden on moviegoers and resulted in excessive profits.

They requested the court to set aside the government order and sought directions to ensure that the alleged excess amount collected is either deposited into the state government treasury or transferred to the High Court Legal Services Authority, citing public interest.

Call for Immediate Recovery

During the hearing, the petitioners’ counsel urged the court to initiate immediate steps for the recovery of the amount, emphasizing the need to safeguard consumer rights and prevent exploitation of audiences through inflated pricing.

Government Raises Procedural Objection

Representing the state, Government Advocate Mahesh Raje objected to the inclusion of the Principal Secretary of the Home Department as a personal respondent in one of the petitions. Following the objection, the concerned petition was withdrawn.

The list of respondents includes the Home Department Principal Secretary, production houses Shine Screen Entertainments India LLP and Goldbox Entertainments, film director Anil Ravipudi, distributor Dil Raju, BookMyShow, and other stakeholders associated with the film’s release.

The court is expected to resume hearings after all parties have been formally notified, with the petitioners continuing to press for mechanisms to refund the alleged excess charges in the interest of the public.

Also read: South Cinema at a Crossroads as OTT Platforms Tighten Their Grip