One year on, Uttarakhand film policy a non-starter

The Uttarakhand government formed the Film Policy 2015 last year but is yet to create a crucial body that will take important decisions related to film development.

The Uttarakhand government formed the Film Policy 2015 last year but is yet to create a crucial body that will take important decisions related to film development.

A still from Badri-The Cloud film being shot in Uttarakhand.

Members of Uttarakhand’s regional film industry, which has been languishing under heavy losses over the past few years, have alleged that the policy has not been enforced effectively in the absence of the expert body.

The Film Policy calls for creation of the Uttarakhand Film Development Council headed by the chief minister for taking decisions on financial assistance to regional filmmakers, revival of closed-down cinema halls, developing film shooting locations, operating film development funds and setting up infrastructure.

The 16-member council, with three-year tenure, will comprise seven filmmakers/experts associated with the regional or Hindi film industries as nominated by the government.

Mussoorie-based filmmaker Pradeep Bhandari said the policy has merely been reduced to eyewash in the absence of the supervising body.

“The film policy was introduced 15 years after the state’s formation and the pahadi (hill) film industry has suffered a lot during the period,” he said.

A section of industry experts pointed out that though some parts of the policy have been implemented, most parts of the policy were yet to be executed.

Surendra Kumar, media in-charge for chief minister Harish Rawat, said welfare of the regional cinema industry was on the government’s priority list. “We are in the process of constituting the council and an announcement (of the names) would be made very soon,” Kumar told HT.