UP wants more lights, camera & action
The government is trying to pitch Uttar Pradesh to investors as a destination for film production houses, international film studios, 3D cinema, regional and niche cinema, film cities, film festivals etc.
LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has positioned ‘films’ as a priority sector for investments at the UP Investors’ Summit2018.
Day-2 of the summit will have a dedicated session on it, where film personalities like Anurag Kashyap, Subhash Ghai, Bonnie Kapoor and many more from Bollywood will be engaged in discussions on increasing film production and setting up of allied industry in the state.
The government is trying to pitch the state to investors as a destination for film production houses, international film studios, 3D cinema, printing and publishing houses, regional and niche cinema, multiplex, VFX and animation, skill development in films and film training institutes, film cities and film festivals.
“UP’s support in the successful screening of the controversial movie Padmaavat will be highlighted as the state got noticed for the way its law and order enforcement agencies ensured the screening of the movie. It proves how friendly the state is towards films and filmmakers,” said an officer connected to the summit.
On Tuesday, the eve of the summit, the UP cabinet approved the modified Film Policy.
A UP government press statement ahead of the summit said: “The total screen distribution in India is largely skewed to Mumbai
and Uttar Pradesh/Delhi, which account for 60% of the box office collection of films at the national level. The state can be a good destination for film promotion under this scenario, along with the institutional support
through Film Bandhu, Film Development Fund, Film Development Council and State Film Division.”
The organisers of the film session at the summit will also showcase UP’s winning ‘The Most Film Friendly State’ backto-back at the 63rd and 64th National Film Festival in 2015 and 2016 and that the movies like Toilet-Ek Prem Katha, Raanjhnaa, Jolly LLB2, Dedh Ishqiya, Bullet Raja, Tevar, Bhoomi, or Bareilly Ki Barfi were shot in UP.
The government has created a list of top preferred and suitable locations for outdoor and indoor shooting in the state. It includes Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri in Agra; Imambara, Rumi Darwaza, Residency and Kaiserbagh Heritage Site in Lucknow; Sarnath in Varanasi; temples in Mathura-Vrindavan, Kashi Vishwanath temple and ghats in Varanasi; Kumbh Melas in Allahabad, Belan river valley in Mirzapur, Mukha Waterfalls in Sonbhadra; and also the old markets and streets of Lucknow; old streets of Varanasi and Allahabad, and modern malls, parks in Lucknow, Noida, Agra.
The session on films, media, and entertainment will be chaired by media baron and Rajya Sabha member Subhash Chandra.