CHENNAI: Nearly 1,000 theatres across Tamil Nadu will remain shut on Monday, the first day of an indefinite strike called by theatre owners to protest against the state's imposition of 30% entertainment tax in addition to the 28% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on film trade.
Tamil Nadu Cinema Theatre Owners Federation president Abirami Ramanathan on Sunday evening announced that cinema hall owners would proceed with the strike - to the agony of the producers of recently-released films.
Tamil Films Producers Council president Vishal, batting for the producers affected, on Sunday asked the theatre owners to call off the strike or at least to defer it by a week.
"We have heard the pleas of the affected producers," Ramanathan said. "We will discuss what needs to be done."
He said the decision to announce the strike had to be taken suddenly as the theatre owners were kept in the dark about the double taxation until 5pm on Friday.
"A government order was passed on Friday, declaring that in addition to GST, the state will levy 30% entertainment tax which will be collected by local bodies," Ramanathan said.
