By Vishal Gulati
Shimla, July 7 (IANS) Every time you say cheers, you will literally promote film industry in Himachal Pradesh!
The state has brought a policy, Himachal Pradesh film Policy -- 2019, that will not only facilitate film shooting at a large scale but also ensure all-round development of activities related to the film production.
A film development fund has been created for developing film-related infrastructure and giving additional financial incentives to the regional film-makers, Mahesh Pathania, Joint Director with state's Film Production and Management Division, told IANS.
For this fund, a cess of 50 paisa per bottle of liquor has been levied in the state, he said.
Shimla has been a favourite shooting spot among filmmakers since ages.
From black and white films like "Love in Simla" to new age romance "Jab We Met", this picturesque hill town has been a hot favourite.
The town has been captured in dozens of films like "King Uncle", "Yeh Dillagi", "Badal", "Gadar - Ek Prem Katha", "LOC" and "Raju Chacha".
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who shot several films here, came here for Shoojit Sirkar's "ShoeBite".
Popular films like "Bang Bang", "Black", "Henna", "Kudrat", "Highwaya, "Lootera", "Raaz: The Mystery Continues", "Rani Padmini", "Roja" and "Young Malang" are among those shot in breathtaking locales of the state.
And shooting in the state has become all the more easy with the new policy, Pathania, the man behind framing the policy, said.
The government has already set in place a single-window system to grant permission to film and TV serial makers to shoot in the region.
Indian filmmakers have typically loved snow-capped mountains and deodar trees and they spotted the serene locations of Himachal many decades ago.
And their all-time favourite has also been Manali in Kullu district.
Films like Govinda-starrer "Naughty@40" was shot there and its suburbs; Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai's "Action Replay" and Riya Sen-Vinay Pathak's "Tere Mere Phere" too captured the picturesque locales of the hill station.
In the 1990's, Subhash Ghai's "Saudagar", Mani Ratnam's "Roja" and R.K. Banner's "Heena" were filmed in the state. So did Raj Kumar Hirani's "3 Idiots" in Chail and Shimla.
Sanjay Sood, a Shimla-based artiste who performed roles in "3 Idiots", "Mein Aisa Hi Hoon", "Kareeb" and "Madaari', said Bollywood biggies have a fondness for Himachal since the turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Now, the subsidy offered by the government will be an added attraction to the film industry," added Sood, who is the Secretary of Him Cine Society.
Himachal Pradesh has given bigger names to Bollywood like stars Kangana Ranaut and Anupam Kher and singer Mohit Chauhan.
As per the policy, Himachal Pradesh Film Development Council would be set up for long-term development of the film industry. Its executive committee will examine the eligibility and fix criteria to provide financial and other incentives to the film-makers.
A film facilitation unit will be established by the Information and Public Relations Department.
The state will set up film city or cities and promote the setting up of film studios. It will allow the film units engaged in outdoor shooting of film to use airstrips and helipads located across the state.
The film facilitation unit will work as single-window mechanism for granting all permissions relating to shooting for films that too in a time-bound manner, said Pathania.
He said there is an ample scope for development of the regional films.
"There is a provision of a grant with a maximum limit of Rs 50 lakh for those film producers or the production houses that are committing to shoot at least 75 per cent of the film in the state," he said.
Closed cinema halls will be encouraged to reopen.
For this, a financial incentive will be provided to each cinema hall, which will be soon accorded the status of Industry, with a maximum grant of Rs 25 lakh.
For attracting investments in multiplexes, with one or more cinema screens, 75 per cent reimbursement on State Goods and Service Tax will be provided for seven years.
Similarly, new cinema halls will be provided 75 per cent reimbursement on State Goods and Service Tax for five years.
For honing local talent, there is a provision of one-time grant of Rs 75,000 for the students who want to join courses in performing arts in reputed institute of the country.
(Vishal Gulati can be reached at vishal.g@ians.in)
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