By Our Staff Reporter
DEHRADUN, 10 Sept: The Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification, Prasoon Joshi, and actor Anupam Kher met Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at the CM’s official residence, here, today. They discussed various aspects related to film production and shooting in the state, and the facilities provided by the state government for film production. They praised the new Uttarakhand Film Policy 2024, viewing it as a significant step towards promoting filmmaking in the state, and expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Dhami for this. They highlighted that the new policy would further encourage filming in Uttarakhand.
Dhami stated that the 2024 Film Policy would enhance the recognition of the state’s tourist destinations, both, nationally and internationally. The policy includes a grant of Rs 2 crore for local films and a single-window system to streamline the process for filmmakers. It also offers subsidies for film and OTT series shooting. The government is working on several other initiatives to boost the film industry and promote local talent at the national level.
He mentioned that the government is committed to the development of every sector related to film production, which would promote new employment opportunities and strengthen tourism in the state. New shooting destinations are also being identified and promoted with the help of the tourism department to increase visibility for lesser-known tourist spots in Uttarakhand.
Since January 2024, the Uttarakhand Film Development Council has issued over 150 shooting permissions through its online single-window system. The policy provides for no fees for shooting in state departments, excluding protected forest areas. It also includes provisions for promoting untapped shooting destinations.
The new policy offers a subsidy of up to 50% or a maximum of Rs 2 crore for regional language films and up to 30% or Rs 3 crore for Hindi and other languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
Anupam Kher praised the Uttarakhand Film Development Council’s streamlined shooting permission process and described the state as a film-friendly destination. He noted that filming in Uttarakhand is much easier compared to other states and appreciated the support from locals. He mentioned that there has been a surge in film and web series shooting in the state recently and shared that his film, “Tanvi the Great”, was successfully shot in Lansdowne.
Director General of Information and CEO of the Uttarakhand Film Development Council, Banshidhar Tiwari, was also present on this occasion.
