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U.P. has potential to attract global cinema: Thakur
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had identified cinema and sports as soft powers. Both had power to bring glory to India at the international level, said Anurag Singh Thakur, Union minister for sports, youth affairs and information and broadcasting, during the session on ‘Media and Entertainment: The Indian Digital Growth Story’ session at the UP GIS-2023.
Lucknow: With an attractive film policy, ease of making films, multiple national awards of most film friendly state and upcoming 1,000-acre Noida Film City, Uttar Pradesh had enormous potential to make it big in cinema and attract Indian, regional as well as international filmmakers, said Anurag Singh Thakur, Union minister for sports, youth affairs and information and broadcasting
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has identified cinema and sports as soft powers. Both have power to bring glory to India at the international level. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has aggressively taken forward both sports and cinema and that’s the reason that in such a mega Global Investors’ Summit we have sessions of both,” said the minister during the session on ‘Media and Entertainment: The Indian Digital Growth Story’ session.
Regional to global
Thakur said it was very important to make it big at the regional level. “Film RRR is a classic example of region content going global and making India proud at the international level. Today technology has become so advanced that sitting in a remote village, someone can create content on a smartphone and within no time it can go global.”
He pointed out how starting with Bhojpuri industry, actor-MP Ravi Kishan and actor-MP Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’ made it big in cinema and were today serving people and working for the industry as well. “International projects that go to Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad for post-production work can come to UP. In fact, UP can become a global post-production hub.”
Checks and balances
In the wake of boycott trends and censor, the minister said, “Filmmakers should be cautious about creating content. Entertainment is good but we need to be thoughtful of what we make. On OTT we had a debate going for a long time and now we have a policy in place. Creative liberty is fine but it should have some checks and balances.”
Subsidy for OTT projects soon
Advisor to the chief minister Awanish Kumar Awasthi informed that during the chief minister’s road show in Mumbai, a request was made for subsidy to OTT projects. “We already have subsidy for Hindi, regional and even foreign films in which makers can avail up to ₹2 crore subsidy. Now, soon we will be offering subsidy for making web and OTT projects in Uttar Pradesh. We are also giving subsidy for setting up labs, production studios and training institutes.”
He informed the tenders for the Noida Film City had been floated and work on it would start soon.
Actor-producer and MP Ravi Kishan said, “At present we have around 80-100 projects that are being shot in the state. The state has huge potential and we are also working on regional film industry which will shape up soon.”
‘Teri Meherbaniyan’ director KC Bokadia, who recently shot ‘The Signature’ in Lucknow, showed interest in setting up a film studio in Lucknow. “I am very interested in opening a state-of-the-art studio in Lucknow and we are looking for a place. The day we get land we will complete the studio in a year,” said the filmmaker.
Five-star rating
Trade analyst and film critic Komal Nahata gave a five-star rating to the film policy and efforts by the state government and Film Bandhu in attracting film makers. “I am an analyst and have been studying the policies minutely. Based on my experience, I feel things are on fast track and after two years we will see the result.”
Cinema in small cities
‘Kagaz’ director and actor Satish Kaushik laid emphasis on adding more cinema halls in Uttar Pradesh. “I am a partner with Picture Time which plans to invest ₹500 crore in creating makeshift cinema halls in small towns which can give a big boost to cinema world and local economy.” The minister added that indoor stadiums had potential sports to be converted into make-shift cinema halls on weekends and ODOP projects could be sold around them.
Five-times National Awards winning director Madhur Bhandarkar lauded UP’s film policy and talked about the opportunities with its the real locations and realistic stories that connected with everyone.
‘Look beyond acting’
Actor-MP Hema Malini said that those who wanted to make career should look beyond acting. “There are lots of opportunities beyond acting — writing, direction, music, post-production work and so on. Many people say to me that I launched Shah Rukh Khan so can I give them a chance. I feel with the Film City in UP, locals will get more opportunity and people will no longer require to go to Mumbai for work.”
Actor-MP Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’ proposed the vote of thanks.
