The LG also launched a slew of initiatives including a single window portal for film shooting permissions and subsidies to ensure efficient handling of intricate formalities and seamless release of subsidies. The program inaugurated by the Department of Information and Public Relations in Srinagar.
“Film policy will attract, support and facilitate regional, national and international film production in the UT and will ensure that heaven on earth is truly a heaven for filmmakers,” said Sinha. The LG said that J&K is a better shooting location than Europe and his administration will strive to provide high-impact infrastructure, support in sourcing locations and a large pool of professionals like Europe. The new film policy also provides added incentives for films in local languages, thereby promoting regional cinema of J&K. J&K administration had launched a film policy in 2021 and they claim that since then over 350 films and webseries were shot here. The new policy LG said is to fill the gaps and address roadblocks in the last policy.
“New interventions will have a strong multiplier effect and play a pivotal role in developing J&K as a global film production hub,” said Sinha. He said that J&K and cinema is a symbol of oneness and cannot be seen separately. “For great filmmakers like Raj Kapoor and Yash Chopra, J&K was not only a shooting destination but also a cultural organism. In the past five years, there has been an effort to reconnect J&K with the culture of Cinema and theatre. Our new initiatives highlight this resurgence,” he said.
Prominent bollywood filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, who was present at the function said that such progressive initiatives to create a vibrant film ecosystem in J&K will be very helpful for the film industry across the country. “We hope that the tourism department helps to explore new destinations in J&K so that we come and shoot here regularly,” said Bhandarkar.
