Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra of 'Apada mein Avasar', the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has started working on establishing a “Film City” on the lines of Mumbai’s Bollywood.
Yogi has planned to hold a direct dialogue with the top film makers of industry to understand their needs and requirements, the kind of rebates they require to set-up their film studios in UP, sources say.
Four sites, Lucknow-Kanpur Road, Agra, Benaras and Yamuna Expressway, have been shortlisted for the purpose. Two sites would be finalised after consultation with the producers.
“We have been asked to make our film industry police even more attractive considering the present investment scenario. Over the past decade, more than 200 feature, short and web films were shot in UP and the government offered them Rs 50 crore rebates to 56 films,” a senior official said.
The move is significant considering the ongoing spat between actor Kangana Ranaut and Shiv Sena over “Marathi pride and outsider issue”.
UP had already declared film as an industry two years ago and upgraded the film making policy, adding several rebates to attract investment in the sector.
Many filmmakers had approached the government with the proposal to set-up a production house, studio and editing labs etc. Some of them even identified the land but dragged the feet allegedly due to infeasibility.
