Lucknow: With assembly elections approaching, the Yogi Government has made Varanasi, a hub of all type of activities. After holding half a dozen programs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government is planning a mega cine event in the city.
On the lines of famous Goan Film Festival, the state government would organize a similar event in Varanasi. According to the chairman of Uttar Pradesh Film Development Council (UPFDC), Raju Srivastava, the film festival at Varanasi would be replica of Goa. He said that UP Film Festival has been planned in Varanasi and it will have all major events that were included in Goa. The film festival, which would be the first such event in UP, is scheduled to be held between December 27 to 29. Raju, a noted comedian, was made chairman of UPFDC by Yogi Government to promote film activities in the state.
According to Mr Srivastava, during the film festival the UP Government would provide financial assistance to the producers whose films have been shot in the state. The state government would provide 24 crore as financial aid to 42 such film producers. In the festival films on UP and those shot in this state would be screened. Besides various national and regional awards would also be given to actors, producers, lyricists, music composers, directors and scriptwriters. Few international films would also be screened in the festival. A conference on increasing investment in the film industry in UP would also be organized on this occasion.
It may be mentioned that Yogi Government has already started construction of a mega international film city at Greater Noida. Besides demand has been raised to set up a separate film city for Bhojpuri films in Varanasi or Gorakhpur. Several noted Bhojpuri film artists from UP have raised this issue before Yogi Government.
