Mumbai multiplex tax may jump from Rs 60 to Rs 400 as BMC waits

Mumbai’s movie ticket tax is not changing yet. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has told the All Indian Cine Workers Association that its proposed entertainment tax revision still needs clearance from the Maharashtra government, so the old 2018-19 rates remain in force for now.

The clarification arrives weeks after the civic body suggested increases of up to 570 per cent, a proposal that immediately worried the exhibition and performing arts sectors.

What the BMC actually said

AICWA president Suresh Gupta said he received a written reply dated November 5. In his reading, the civic body has passed the decision to the state government and is waiting for a clear instruction on whether to implement the higher slabs.

The BMC’s letter also says revenue from Rangbhumikar goes toward “the overall development of Mumbai city.” For now, the levy continues to be collected at the rates introduced in 2018.

Gupta said he was glad the response came within 15 days, but questioned why the BMC proposed the increase if the final call belongs to the government’s Urban Development Department.

The proposed tax, in numbers

• AC theatres and multiplexes: Rs 60 to Rs 400 per ticket, a proposed rise of roughly 570 per cent
• Non-AC cinema halls: Rs 45 to Rs 200 per ticket, a 400 per cent increase
• Performing arts shows: Rs 50 to Rs 100 per ticket, double the current levy

If the higher levy were eventually passed on to moviegoers, the multiplex slab would be the sharpest change. That is why the industry is treating this as a potential cost problem, not a civic bookkeeping detail.

Why the timing matters

The proposal has added a layer of uncertainty to the trade. AICWA has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and met municipal officials to object. The final decision sits with the state’s Urban Development Department, so the tax revision is not in the hands of the BMC alone.

The debate is unfolding just as the Hindi film industry prepares for a busy release window. Shah Rukh Khan’s King is scheduled for December 24, 2026, and any eventual tax change could shape the cost of a night out for audiences who are already selective about where they spend.

For moviegoers, the practical takeaway is to treat the higher slabs as a proposal, not a confirmed price. Until the Maharashtra government clears the revision, Mumbai’s ticket counters will keep applying the old rates.

Source: The Times of India