Kamal Haasan threatens to ‘quit industry’ if GST on regional cinema remains 28 per cent. “I will have to quit the industry if I am on the highest tax slab,” said actor Kamal Haasan.
The South Indian Film Chamber today opposed the 28 per cent GST rate proposed on the industry with popular star Kamal Haasan saying regional cinema was the pride of the country and it cannot be pressurized through taxes. The actor requested Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to reduce tax to around 12 to 15 per cent as he believes the higher taxes levied on regional cinema will ruin it completely.
Stating that the uniform 28% entertainment tax under the GST for cinema in Tamil Nadu was a ‘big punishment,’ actor Kamal Haasan on Friday argued that it was unfair to equate regional cinema and Bollywood and Hollywood movies on the same platform and charge a uniform tax.
The actor Kamal Haasan further stated that regional cinema cannot be put on the same level as Bollywood films. Kamal Haasan said the only source of revenue outside India was the regional diaspora and that the industry will not be able to afford such high taxes.
