The Hindu : Front Page : Ticket rates at all-time high

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 15, 2005

Front Page

Front Page

Ticket rates at all-time high

Karthik Subramanian

The last time Rajnikant and Kamal Haasan had a simultaneous release was in 1995.

STAR WARS AGAIN: Kamal Haasan and Rajnikant at a recent function in Chennai. — Photo: K. Pichumani

CHENNAI: The cash registers are not just ringing but working overtime in Kollywood. Tamil movie fans have lapped up the new movies of Rajnikant and Kamal Haasan on Tamil New Year Day.

Festivities began in most theatres, especially the ones showing Chandramukhi, at 8 a.m. with the superstar's fans performing pujas and pouring milk down the banners to welcome the actor after a three-year hiatus. Special screenings began at suburban theatres such as Shree Murugan in Varadarajapuram, Ambattur, at 8.30 a.m.

Kamal Haasan's Mumbai Xpress also got an incredible opening. At S.S.R. Pankajam in Vadapalani, crowds waiting for the matinee show spent their time counting the number of times the noon show audience's laughter was heard outside. Some halls had increased the ticket prices to levels that made black marketing virtually impossible. At Shree Murugan, tickets for Chandramukhi were sold at a flat rate of Rs. 150. At the Rohini cineplex in Koyambedu, a balcony seat for the Rajnikant-starrer cost, believe it or not, Rs. 225.

The high rates and the police presence forced fans to cut down on festivities. Sravan Raghunathan, a die-hard fan, said he missed the burning of camphor and the traditional breaking of pumpkins inside the hall to ward off evil. "After all, it is a `thalaivar' movie. But the movie rocks and everything else is forgotten."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page