Star Maker Single Screen Theatres Run In Losses
But single-screen cinemas now face an existential crisis. These chains, which were once the backbone of the fair industry, are no longer able to compete with multiplex chains and are gradually disappearing. Theater owners complain that single-screen operators face minimal earnings and rising expenses while producers and star performers continue to earn huge revenues.
Owners report little or no government support in the form of tax exemptions or electricity tariff subsidies. Rising ticket prices have further alienated low-income audiences who have traditionally been the main customers of single-screen cinemas.
Film analyst GK Mohan said running a single-screen theater today is more of a social service than a business. “Single-screen broadcasters preserve cinema as an art form. Properties worth millions yield negligible returns. Many owners continue operations simply to continue the legacy their parents started. In an age dominated by multi-screen multiplexes, producers naturally opt for them for wider releases,” he said.
A decade ago, there were around 3,500 single-screen cinema halls in the two Telugu states. That number is now down to about 1,650; In Telangana, there are only 450 people. The famous RTC Crossroads area in Hyderabad, which was once home to iconic theatres, has seen several single screens being converted into shopping malls due to lack of institutional support.
The owner of Devi 70mm and Sudarshan 35mm theaters also expressed similar concerns and said that there was no assistance for single screens even during the Covid-19 lockdown period. “There were no exemptions or special measures to help us survive. Even the film federations failed to raise our problems or take a firm stand,” he said.
In May 2024, several single-screen movie theaters were forced to temporarily close due to a lack of viable movie screenings. Theater owners said the daily running cost varies between ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 in small towns and ₹15,000 to ₹18,000 in cities, while daily earnings usually range from just ₹4,000 to ₹5,000.
Theater Owners Association leader Vijayender Reddy said single-screen cinemas continue to be the most affordable entertainment option for the low-income population, with ticket prices ranging from ₹50 to ₹100. “These cinemas offer a unique collective viewing experience that multiplexes cannot replicate,” he said.
He also opposed recent increases in ticket prices for the first few days of movies’ release. “Earlier, ticket prices for all films remained the same. Any increase required the approval of the district collector. Now, producers seek permission directly from the Secretariat, leaving theater owners out,” he said.
He called on the government and the film industry to work together to save single-screen theaters by providing subsidies, regulating ticket price hikes and extending corporate support to ensure their survival.
