Booking charges of Abhinav Theatre enhanced to Rs 50,000

Vikas Sharma

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Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 14

The J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) in a surprise decision has enhanced booking fee of refurbished Abhinav Theatre from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000.

The move has disappointed the clubs which are not registered with the academy. They claimed that the authorities had done this just to discourage literary activities in Jammu.

However, around 200 clubs/organisations which are registered with the cultural academy will have to pay only Rs 3,000 to utilise Abhinav Theatre for holding functions/activities. There is no hike in booking charges for them.

“For small clubs/literary organisations, Abhinav Theatre is the only venue having all modern facilities, but the recent steep hike by the cultural academy in booking charges in not a good sign for promotion of arts in Jammu,” said Tarun Sharma, a member of the Nat Manch.

“The charges of Zorawar Singh Auditorium at the University of Jammu and Police Auditorium are so high that it is almost impossible for small clubs to hire them for holding activities. Now, the booking fee being charged by the JKAACL has virtually closed doors for smaller clubs/theatre groups for holding functions in the Abhinav Theatre,” Ashok, a member of a local club opined.

When contacted, Arvinder Singh Amn, additional secretary, JKAACL, told The Tribune, “Yes, the booking fee has been enhanced to Rs 50,000 for the unregistered clubs.”

“The newly renovated theatre has now the latest equipment installed in the auditorium which is one of the best in North India and to make it purely for promotion of art in the state, the academy has announced a hike in booking fee,” Arvinder said.

When asked whether the enhanced fee has any effect on the number bookings of the auditorium by clubs/schools/theatre groups to hold functions, the additional secretary, JKAACL, said, “I don’t think that there will be any adverse effect on the bookings of the theatre.”

Abhinav Theatre, which was established in 1978 in Jammu, was closed for renovation on April 1, 2012, and it was reopened after three years on December 7, 2015.