CM Yogi’s Film City project gains currency, Film producers raises many issues with Maharashtra govt

Lucknow: As soon as the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath unveiled the ambitious plan to open the world-class film city in Noida, the Indian Motion Picture Producer’s Association wrote a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Udhav Thackerey that explains why it is difficult for the producers to shoot in the state of Maharashtra.

In the memorandum of demands, the IMPPA said, “Subsidies and Entertainment tax exemption which is made available only for all Marathi films by the Government should also be made applicable to all Hindi films. The film industry today is in dire need of financial assistance and today Hindi film producers are getting subsidies from various State Governments including UP and many others.”

“There are too many unions of workers and each political party has its own film-based union who visit and cause disturbance and disrupt shooting forcing the producers to shift out of the state for a harmonious working environment,” the letter added.

Producers prefer going to shoot at new locations because they found it reasonable rather than shooting in Maharashtra at a high price, the letter mentions.

In a letter issued by IMPPA, it is mentioned that producers are being harassed by the unions and the Maha government is not providing any kind of protection to them. Describing the problems faced by the producers, the IMMPA in a letter explains that numerous difficulties are faced by the producers while shooting in Maharashtra as a result of which producers prefer to shoot in the state only if absolutely necessary.

It is only Maharashtra that imposes restrictions for the Bollywood industries as other states, as well as foreign countries, had no such restrictions or permissions required for shooting. Besides paying a subsidy of up to 50% of the production cost.

Describing the payment troubles faced by the Bollywood and the Hindi Film Industry, the letter added, “In other states, the amounts to be paid for the locations were mutually decided by the producer and the location owner without any involvement of the State or Foreign Country Government.”

The letter also narrates, “It is mandatory to provide Government locations for shootings free of cost and with full security but presently all shootings in Mumbai are regularly disturbed by one authority or the other due to the multiplicity of permissions required for shootings.”

IMPPA also suggests that it is very important to have a Single Window Clearance with minimum paperwork. It stated, “If Maharashtra Government wants Mumbai to remain the heart and soul of Bollywood then the govt needs to work in the direction to remove deficiencies and make the atmosphere work-friendly and welcoming.”