Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah announced on Friday that the cost of the tickets in all theatres of the state, including multiplexes here, will be capped at Rs 200.

In his historic 16th budget, Siddaramaiah also announced Karnataka will create an OTT platform to promote Kannada movies.

Recently, leading Kannada actor-producers like Rakshit Shetty and Risabh Shetty had complained they were unable to get any major OTT platforms to pick up the Kannada content.

Incidentally, Rakhsit Shetty’s production house, Paramvah Studio began streaming its Kannada web series Ekam in a custom platform in July 2024, unable to find an OTT platform.     

The CM has also earmarked Rs 3 crore for creating a repository of Kannada films, both in digital and non-digital formats, to preserve movies depicting social, historical and cultural values of the state.

Heeding another demand by the stakeholders, Siddaramaiah said the cinema sector will be given the status of an industry and that the facilities provided under the Industrial Policy will be extended to it.

According to him, a multiplex movie theatre complex will also be developed under Public Private Partnership (PPP) in 2.5-acre land owned by the Karnataka Film Academy in Nandini Layout in the city.

Also, for developing an International level Film City in Mysuru at a cost of Rs 500 crore in PPP model, 150 acre land has been transferred to the Department of Information and Public relations, Siddaramaiah said. 

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