Fleecing by theatres

Location/place: Chennai

Name of company/service: S2 Cinemas

I am a regular movie goer in Chennai. I am particularly fond of Sathyam Cinemas and their theatres across Chennai. However I had a very bad experience yesterday. On 19 July 2013 me and my friends went to S2 Cinemas, Perambur to watch the night show of Bhaag Milkha bhaag. At the ticket counter I was told that seats were available only in the second row from the screen. Since I had to pay Rs.120 per ticket for the second row, I asked him to give me the first row tickets instead because I knew they would only cost Rs.10 each. The executive said the first row is completely sold out and tickets were unavailable. Since I was already skeptical and aware of such tactics I asked him to recheck. He confirmed that the first row was fully booked. Although I still had my own doubts I went ahead and purchased the second row tickets at Rs.120 per ticket. As the movie had already started we rushed inside. However we were shocked to notice that the entire front row was vacant(see pictures).
During the intermission, I went to the ticket counter and it was vacant. There was a theatre official standing near by. I complained to him that I was refused the front row seats on grounds on unavailability, but it was completely vacant. He said only after all the Rs.120 tickets are sold out they issue the Rs.10 tickets. I told him that its wrong on their part to do so. Another official argued that that’s the Government rule and they are merely following it. When I demanded to meet the manager, after much reluctance Mr. Jay Ganesan who introduced himself as the manager came and he gave another ridiculous reason. He said that the Rs.10 tickets are sold only on advance booking at 9.00 am and not during current booking. I argued that if that’s the case when the seats are available why don’t you sell them now during current booking ? He had no reply to this and kept mumbling that they are following the orders of some Government official in that area. All this clearly shows that the theatre owners try to violate the Government norms , which were introduced to benefit the public, by using such silly loop holes.
I request you to intervene and take suitable action against S2 Cinemas, Perambur and also please ensure that it is not repeated again in any theatre across Chennai. The theatre should refund the ticket amount of Rs.240, which I was forced to buy, and I am ready to pay Rs.20 for two tickets as I had intended.
These theatres charge humungous amount for snacks and yet serve substandard quality of pop corn and most of the time the seasonings which make them worth the huge cost, are not available.
These kind of practices are regular across the cinema halls in Chennai. Once at Inox theatre in Mylapore, we were asked to buy minimum three tickets. We needed only two tickets and they were refusing to sell two tickets. Only after complaining to the manager, we were given the required quantity.
I request the Government to reign in the theatres and keep a tab on the tickets pricing, snacks pricing and quantity and take steps to ensure that rules are followed.
Warm regards.
Raj Bhandari.