Siddharth Kapur concerned over double taxation

Well-known producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, as the president of The Film and Television Producers Guild of India, feels double taxation will make the Tamil film industry commercially unviable.

The Tamil Nadu government's decision to levy 30 per cent entertainment tax over and above the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate was facing stiff opposition from all quarters.

"This move of double taxation by Tamil Nadu government will not only defeat the very purpose of introducing GST as a progressive 'One Nation One Tax" regime but shall also make the industry commercially unviable leading to a closure of cinema halls and loss of jobs," Kapur said in a statement.

Theaters across Tamil Nadu have been shut in protest against the high tax rate.

On behalf of the Guild, Kapur has made a fervent request to the K. Palaniswami government and also other state governments.

"Not to impose additional Local Bodies Entertainment Tax (LBET) on films pertaining to any language over and above the GST which is already in the highest slab of 28 percent," he said.