theatre owners lost almost rs 1 crore on thursday protesting against the state governments policy favouring multiplexes but the state is in no mood to budge it plans to go right ahead with its decision to offer multiplexes a 100 per cent entertainment tax exemption for the first three years and 75 per cent exemption for the subsequent two years a notification in this regard will be issued within a few days govind swaroop state cultural affairs secretary told bombay times the tax exemption is an incentive being given to encourage multiplexes in the state basically to promote new technology all over the world the trend is towards multiplexes which aim at family entertainment setting up a multiplex would mean an investment between rs 2040 crore and it may not be a viable initially so they have to be given a tax exemption why should theatre owners be upset they have already established themselves over the years and do not need these sops explains swaroop the government has a vision for multiplexes and hopes to have 30 to 40 of them in mumbai in the next few years and many more all over the state a multiplex with its multiple theatre facility can offer a variety of films to the audience along with regular commercial movies a multiplex can also screen an art film or a regional film in one of its smaller capacity theatres says swaroop the minimal requirement for a multiplex is to have at least four different screens with a total of 1200 seating a multiplex is also expected to screen a marathi film at least once a month besides the multiplex should be designed well and ideally include a commercial centre having eateries and entertainment activities like video games says swaroop in mumbai currently g7 at bandra which comprises gaity galaxy and five other theatres is the only multiplex it however lacks entertainment proficiexncies but at least six multiplexes are expected to come up in mumbai soon most in the suburbs considering land value three on the andheri link road by zee shringar films and another one by the lakdawala group three in mulund and one at the imax adlabs in wadala exhibitors fear that they will have to shut shop if multiplexes crowd mumbai as one of them remarks people will naturally prefer a fancy plush theatre to a simple one but swaroop does not agree the fear is imaginary roshnioliveraindiatimescom