MUMBAI: This year, cinema hall operators have come up with the biggest year-over-year price increase ever though the movie going attendance remained unchanged compared to last year.

Average admission costs have been up more than 40 cents, or 5 per cent this year while the National Association of Theatre Owners said attendance was down by less than 1 per cent compared to 2009.
 

Experts are of the view that high 3D prices was an important factor in the dismal performance of recent box-office fare of films like Piranha 3D.

Analyst Richard Greenfield has argued that "consumer 3D fatigue is already starting to show given the abusive ticket prices that exhibitors are charging for poor 3D content." He also criticised studios for a lack of quality product. "Hollywood is putting out bad 3D movies," he said, citing that the recent Cats and Dogs sequel in 3D was priced $3-$5 above that of Inception.