[Reader-list] on black marketing of cinema tickets

[sadan]

Dear friends
 I came across this interesting and insightful newspaper column and thought to 
share it with you. 
cheers,
sadan.

29 May, 1970, The Hindustan Times.
"The Shady side of show business"
Hindustan  Times correspondent, New Delhi May 28. The man who realizes best 
(that) there is is big money in show business is the black marketeer. He 
feels no qualms at all. As a theater attendant who is in the ...(?) said, 
"why should I be sorry if people want to throw money away?"  The black market 
price of the picture varies with the picture. Normally money is not risked on 
ordinary English movies. Many Hindi films and those English ones featuring 
actresses like Gina Lelliebridge or Raquel Welch are the ones that bring good 
money.
A movie goer who sees a film every week said (that) tickets were sold at a 
profit of 30 paise to a rupee. Sometimes the profit made was cent percent.

Who are the blackmarketeers? 

A good many are professionals. The others include members of cinema staff, 
students out to "earn" the pocket money, owners of cycle and motor parts and 
street urchins.
Police says that they have conducted number of raids and often caught people 
red handed. They are , however, restricted by the fact that offense is non 
cognizable. According to a high court ruling, a black marketeer can not be 
arrested unless a magistrate passes an order. " If a magistrate is not 
present, we can not do a thing," said a crime branch officer.
He felt (that) the cinema staff had a hand in the whole affairs," unless the 
management  does something, the blackmarketeer will flourish", he said.    

Many Techniques

As it is the whole thing has been honed down to an art (sic.). The seller 
usually has complete faith in the buyer. He retains one ticket for himself 
and sells the rest. The money is collected unobtrusively. Members of cinema 
staff have the advantage of not keeping any tickets for themselves.
Sometimes money changes hands in a strange manner. This reporter saw a buyer 
hand the money to a man. The latter, making a casual sign to his accomplice, 
sauntered away. The accomplice cautiously deposited the tickets in the 
buyer's hands and then mixed with the crowd.
Yet another technique is the " W.C system". With a whispered" Teen bees ke 
char" ( the Rs. 3.20 ticket for Rs.4) the seller enters the bathroom when it 
is crowded for empty ( sic.).  The buyer follows and completes the 
transaction. Of course there are some bold people who sell the tickets openly 
near the cinema.
The worst offenders are undoubtedly members of the cinema staff. The gate 
keeper of a connaught Place cinema sells tickets at a premium with the full 
knowledge of the management. There seems to be an organized racket, 
especially at the theaters around Connaught Place, the masterminds of which 
are , beyond doubt, the cinema staff.
A cinema mananger admitted that members of his staff, especially two gate 
keepers and the booking clerks were involved in the business. He, however, 
blamed those who bought the tickets. "these persons", he said, " encourage 
black marketeers."
He claimed to have suspended members of the staff. "the worst thing is that 
the buyers often defend these persons. Without the help of the clients I am 
powerless", he said. 
The managers were divided on the question of police help to apprehend the 
culprits. Far from helping the management the policemen are often in league 
with black marketeer", said one.
Another, however, said the police had been very helpful and had often caught 
the men red handed."

p.s. the responsibility of all grammatical errors is mine.