Culture ministry goes digital, plans web series, virtual tours
The Ministry reached out to the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), the government’s body that looks after film financing, production and distribution, three weeks ago about the web-series. It is likely to be 20 episodes long and may even air on platforms such as SonyLIV, Netflix and Amazon Prime.
The ministry of culture is planning a massive overhaul into its usual functioning and plans to introduce a host of digital initiatives including a web-series on India’s struggle for independence and virtual tours of important monuments, officials told Hindustan Times.
“We are trying to ensure that all information can be made available online,” Union minister for culture Prahlad Patel told Hindustan Times. “We are working on many initiatives and hope they will help the people,” he added.
The Ministry reached out to the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), the government’s body that looks after film financing, production and distribution, three weeks ago about the web-series. It is likely to be 20 episodes long and may even air on platforms such as SonyLIV, Netflix and Amazon Prime.
“The NDFC has to tell us the framework within which the web series can be done, what kind of budget is needed, how many directors etc,” said an official on condition of anonymity. “We have reminded them again.”
A second official said that the ministry may reach out to platforms such as SonyLIV and Zee5, and perhaps even Netflix and Amazon Prime, to stream the series online so that it can gain as wide an audience as possible. The series is likely to go on air before August 15 next year.
The ministry is also planning virtual tours of monuments that will require a 360-degree videography of the monuments and compile these online.
“We are assessing the costs of the same,” said the first official. “But it will be a major change as more people who are unable to travel will be able to learn about monuments that are far away while experiencing the feel of being in them.”
The move becomes especially crucial in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis as limits on travel and the fear of contracting the virus continue to curtail Tourism.
“We are working on the project and will launch a pilot soon, but this is time intensive work,” said the first official.
The virtual tour will allow viewers to see monuments at different times of the day, including at night, to experience the feel of being in a place. The virtual tour may also be followed by a quiz for students viewing the tours, to help augment learning.
With the help of the states and officials in the districts, the ministry has also begun a cultural mapping of districts. The cultural mapping includes a detailed knowledge of the dance forms, paintings, food and festivals of the districts. This, say officials, will help create a compendium of knowledge at the national level and is a continuous process that has been going on for some time now.
“It will capture the tangible and the intangible heritage of any given place and help create a complete documentation of India’s heritage,” said the second official.
The information will simultaneously be uploaded on ‘e-heritagepedia’, a Wikipedia-like website, where information about any and all aspects of Indian culture will be made available. “From the Paranthewali Gali, to the food habits of Hampi, it will have all the information,” said the first official.
Simultaneously, the ministry is also developing e-artistpedia, which will contain information of all Indian artists and an e-market place, where indigenous art and goods can be purchased.
