MUMBAI: In a move to protest the Central government’s move to bring the cinema industry under Service Tax ambit, cinema halls in Tamil Nadu have decided not to screen films on 23 February.

The move is in line with the film industry‘s decision to stage a nationwide protest on that day.

"Shows in all theatres in Chennai and elsewhere in the state are being cancelled," Tamil Nadu Cinema Theatre Owners‘ Federation President Abirami Ramanathan said in a statement.

The Film Federation of India (FFI) has proposed the nationwide shutdown to protest the Centre‘s proposal to levy a service tax of nearly 10.3 per cent on the multi-billion industry, one of the biggest in the world.

There are approximately 10,000 theatres in India, including 750 multiplexes.