Controversy erupts over sudden ticket price hike for Zubeen Garg’s final film ‘Roi Roi Binale’, team issues clarification

A major controversy erupted across Assam after several cinema halls abruptly increased ticket prices for Roi Roi Binale, the much-anticipated final film featuring late music legend Zubeen Garg. The unexpected price surge triggered widespread backlash, with fans accusing theatre owners of profiteering from public sentiment and commercialising Zubeen’s legacy.

In response to the uproar, Team Roi Roi Binale released an official statement on Facebook clarifying that the spike was a result of dynamic pricing—a system commonly used by multiplex chains such as PVR and Cinepolis. Under this system, ticket prices automatically increase when a certain percentage of seats are booked.

The team explained that once 60% of seats for a show are filled, ticket rates rise, and prices climb further after 80% occupancy. While this mechanism is standard for all films, the Roi Roi Binale team requested cinema halls to suspend dynamic pricing for this emotionally significant release and restore fixed ticket rates. According to the statement, theatre authorities have agreed, and regular pricing is expected to be reinstated within the next couple of hours.

Before the clarification, several cinema chains in Guwahati had sharply raised their rates. Cinepolis increased its ₹220 and ₹240 tickets to ₹320 and ₹340 respectively, while VIP class tickets jumped from ₹450 to ₹600. At PVR, Prime Plus tickets rose from ₹330 to ₹420, Prime from ₹280 to ₹380, and Classic from ₹250 to ₹360 — an average surge of around ₹100 per ticket.

The sudden escalation drew widespread criticism on social media, with fans sharing screenshots of inflated prices and accusing theatre owners of exploiting Assamese people’s emotions. Despite the outrage, advance bookings soared, with thousands of tickets selling out within hours. Theatres across Assam reported that both morning and late-night shows were filling up rapidly, reflecting the deep affection fans still hold for Zubeen Garg months after his untimely demise.

Team Roi Roi Binale’s timely intervention has now brought relief to fans, who can expect prices to return to normal shortly. The filmmakers have appealed to the public to remain patient and avoid panic booking.