New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday announced plans to develop the film industry in the national capital and said that a new policy is in the works to transform the city into a global shooting destination.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the ‘Celebrating India Film Festival’ (CIFF) here, she said the event has sent a message that Delhi is now moving towards becoming a new centre for film production and cultural expression, according to an official statement.
Gupta said her government is committed to transforming Delhi into a film hub, and a policy is being framed to establish the city as an international shooting destination.
Applications for film and other shoots will be approved through a single-window system, she announced, adding that the government is planning to develop the film industry in the capital and provide related facilities.
A budget of Rs 3 crore has been allocated to make Delhi a hotspot for film production, she further announced and said the government anticipates receiving a significant number of applications to shoot films in Delhi in the coming year.
The aim is to process these applications via the single-window system to encourage filmmakers, inspire them to use Delhi’s locations, and create stories connected to the city, the chief minister said. Gupta observed that, until now, Mumbai has been synonymous with the film and entertainment industry. Talent from Delhi that manages to make some headway in the field often moves to Mumbai in search of better opportunities, she noted.
On one hand, Delhi is home to the prestigious National School of Drama (NSD), an institute where many actors have honed their craft before earning fame both nationally and internationally, and yet there has never been a serious initiative to develop the film industry in Delhi itself, she said.
“Why should people learn acting in Delhi, only to be forced to seek work in Mumbai?” she asked.
Her government plans to develop the film industry in the capital while also providing all necessary facilities, so that those involved in film, cinema, and television can access everything from shooting to post-production right here, the statement said. The chief minister also informed that an International Film Festival will be organised in the national capital with the participation of the Delhi government, for which Rs 30 crore has been earmarked.
This festival will promote the city’s culture and diversity, and it will showcase films and documentaries from both India and abroad on a wide variety of themes. Hosting an International Film Festival in Delhi will also boost tourism, for which preparations are already underway, she added. Gupta said films are far more than entertainment — they are a medium to inspire and guide society. “When cinema reflects patriotism, culture, and sensitivity, it creates history,” she reiterated.
Praising the festival, she said that many good films were screened at the three-day event. “Kranti, which stars veteran actor Manoj Kumar, was also screened here. I do not know how many times I have seen this film, it is so iconic and every time I see it, I feel it has something new to offer,” she said. The chief minister said she is often asked what she misses the most. “I miss the time when I could just go and watch a movie. I recently went to watch a movie — that too the last show– with my family,” she said.
“The audience there, instead of watching the film, started clicking pictures with me. I told them to watch the movie and let me also watch it, she added. PTI SLB OZ OZ
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