‘Films can catalyse tourism in state’
LUCKNOW:: Cabinet minister Rita Bhauguna Joshi on Saturday sought a draft of suggestions from film fraternity panellists so that the UP Government could implement them to make the state a film tourism hub.
Bahuguna was chairing the inaugural session during the UP State Film Festival and seminar at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan.
The panelists included lyricist Manoj Muntashir, writer Vipul Rawal, producer Ashu Trikha, director Anil Sharma, director Nisheet Chandra, producer Khemchand Bhagnani, lyricist Sunil Subhaiya, producer Vinod Bachchan and TV director Ravindra Gautam. Film Bandhu chairman Awanish Kumar Awasthi, director information Shishir, former chief secretary Alok Ranjan, PHDCCI chairman Lalit Khetan and co-chairmans Mukesh Bahadur Singh and Gaurav Prakash were also present.
‘Baahubali’ writer and lyricist Manoj Muntashir stressed on opening new avenues in the state so that budding artistes, writer and producer-director did not leave for Mumbai to make a career in films. “I had to leave my state as we did not have any option but if we are able to retain the talent here it can do wonders,” he said.
Writer of film ‘Rustom’ and an ex-naval officer Vipul Rawal suggested friendliness, including single window clearance and ease of doing business and said scripts should justify the intent to shoot here. He also wanted tax-exemption in addition to subsidy.
A separate film industry in UP is ‘Gadar’ film-marker Anil Sharma’s dream. “There should be something like UPwood in the
›
There should be something like UPwood in the state which has own studios, writers’ hub, pool of actors and technicians. If we will have a film industry in UP then it will give a big growth trigger to UP
ANIL SHARMA, film-maker
state which has own studios, writers’ hub, pool of actors and technicians. If we will have a film industry in UP then it will give a big growth trigger to UP,” said the director who hails from Mathura.
Producer Ashu Trikha too stressed on need of a film industry in UP and said he is looking forward to come back to UP to shoot again.
Producer Vinod Bachchan, who has shot ‘Jigaria’, ‘Tanu Weds Manu’, ‘Zilla Ghaziabad’ and ‘Shaadi Main Zaroor Aana’ in UP said that he was coming back to shoot SHZA-2 and another film here.
Assistant producer Nisheet Chandra stressed on better execution on ground level, tax rebates and creating a pool of technical persons and actor. TV serial maker Ravindra Gautam said we should try that more TV shows are made here.
Film Bandhu chairman Awanish Kumar Awasthi said, “Uttar Pradesh will love to be the first to do something for TV and web-series (OTT platform). We are inviting suggestions and will seriously look into the same.”
He also offered to extend support for training programmes and subsidy for setting up studios and labs.