Karan Johar blames increased multiplex tickets, snack prices for less footfall: "They can't afford it"

Karan Johar has blamed the increased cost of multiplex tickets and snacks that has led to an average family restricting itself from going to the theatres. Karan didn't mince his words in how an average income family can't afford it and choose to go to maybe just 2-3 films a year. Karan was talking in a roundtable interview hosted by The Hollywood Reporter India.

Karan Johar's take on ticket and snacks cost

Karan Johar further reasoned that now a family chooses to go to a restaurant where they just have to pay for the food that a theatre where they pay for the tickets and the snacks. "They went to 100 homes, and out of those 100 homes, 90 said they will watch only two films a year (in theatres). This is of an income group that is a massive part of our audience base. They can't afford it," KJo said.

"They maybe come out on Diwali, or if they hear about a film like Stree 2... Family members said that they don't like to go to cinema halls, because when kids say that they want popcorn or something to eat, they feel bad denying them, so they would rather go to a restaurant, where they're not paying for the ticket, they're paying only for the food," he further said.

Karan further mentioned, "They said, 'Our child will point and say he wants caramel popcorn, but we can't afford it'. Because the average cost for a family of four can be Rs 10,000. And maybe those Rs 10,000 are not in their economic planning at all." While there might be some merit to the Dharma honcho's arguments, the multiplex association has slammed him for his comments.

In its long statement, the multiplex association said that the average cost of a family of four going to watch a movie comes down to Rs 1,560.