The Gujarat government's 'Cinematic Tourism Policy 2022-27', aimed to promote the state as an attractive destination for filmmakers from Bollywood, Hollywood and regional movies, has received an enthusiastic response from the entertainment industry, officials said.
The policy has helped attract MoUs worth Rs 1,022 crore for film-making, studio infrastructure and acting schools, with noted actor Ajay Devgn also inking an agreement for film-making in Gujarat, they said ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, to be held in Gandhinagar from January 10 to 12.
Launched in September 2022, the policy has not only helped attract investments for film-making, studio infrastructure and acting schools, but has also brought the Filmfare Awards to Gujarat.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has called this "a momentous occasion for both the cinematic and tourism sectors in our state."
Talking about the policy and its impact, Gujarat tourism secretary Hareet Shukla said it has helped the state emerge as an important destination for the shooting of movies and OTT series.
"A number of OTT series are totally based in Gujarat, and we have also been successful in bringing the Filmfare to Gujarat this year. We have signed an MoU with Worldwide Media to host the Filmfare Awards in Gujarat in January 2024," he said.
At least seven to eight big films and OTT series are shot in Gujarat. The policy offers a 50 per cent discount to film crews on hotels owned by the tourism department. Additionally, the new policy talks about a single-window approval system," he said.
As part of the policy initiatives, the Gujarat government has signed an MoU with Worldwide Media to host the 69th Filmfare Awards in 2024.
Artists from both the Gujarati and Hindi film industries have expressed excitement over the much-anticipated awards show.
CM Patel has said the awards function will promote the tourism and culture of Gujarat while also generating employment opportunities in the transport and event management sectors.
"Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and due to the newly launched Cinematic Tourism Policy, Gujarat has become the preferred destination for film shooting and production, besides boosting its tourism sector," Patel said at a function organised in Mumbai in October last year.
Gujarat boasts of numerous world-class tourist destinations equipped with perfect facilities for film shooting, he said.
Locations like the Blue Flag-certified Shivrajpur beach, Saputara, Gir forest, Kutch desert, the Statue of Unity, and accompanying tourist hotspots are attractive locations for filmmakers, he said.
The production of a film not only directly benefits the industry but also has a ripple effect on various other sectors, leading to substantial advantages and the creation of employment opportunities, both directly and indirectly, he added.
Noted Gujarati film actor Hitu Kanodia said the single-window facility being provided to filmmakers will help in the shooting of a big number of films in the state.
Filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra said India being a big country, film award functions should also travel to different destinations like movies.