Information & broadcasting minister Anurag Singh Thakur made an impassioned speech at the ‘Media & Entertainment – The Indian Digital Growth Story’ session of the U.P. Global Investors Summit on 12th February in Lucknow. Referring to Indian films like RRR which were “making their mark internationally too”, he said that the film industry in India was growing at a rapid speed.
The session opened with an address by Awanish Kumar Awasthi, advisor to chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who emphasised that Uttar Pradesh would soon have the biggest film city in India and also a film institute to train budding artistes, producers, directors and other technicians desirous of entering the film industry. He also mentioned that the Uttar Pradesh government’s subsidy, which was restricted to films, was now also being extended to web series shot in the state. Ravi Kishan, member of Parliament from Gorakhpur, welcomed the guests. Satish Kaushik lamented the acute shortage of cinemas in India in general and Uttar Pradesh in particular. He said, he and his partner, Sushil Chaudhary, had started Picturetime which ‘instals’ need-based cinemas wherever and whenever required. The inflatable cinemas can be dismantled once the shows are over.
Madhur Bhandarkar lauded the Uttar Pradesh government’s endeavour to be so pro-active with the film industry. Film trade analyst Komal Nahta expressed confidence that U.P. would soon become a preferred destination of film producers, going by the efforts being put in by the state government. On a lighter note, he remarked that 50% of the battle had already been won because the hospitality of the local people of Lucknow would win over the stars who love to be pampered. For the balance 50%, he said on a serious note, the Uttar Pradesh government would not leave any stone unturned to attract producers to the state to shoot their films, TV serials and web series. He added that the film policy of U.P. deserved a 5 on 5!
Producer-director K.C. Bokadia, who seems to be extremely keen to start a film institute in Uttar Pradesh to train local talent, thanked Yogi Adityanath for initiating the process of making Uttar Pradesh as the new hub of the film industry. He told Information, “The massive film city being planned by Yogi ji in the state will become doubly useful if local talent is trained in the various departments of filmmaking.” To a round of applause, Bokadia added, “Yogi ji has the blessings of Narendra Modi ji. And Modi ji has the blessings of the people of Uttar Pradesh.” Bokadia called on the chief minister the following day. He informed that it had been agreed in principle that he would be allotted 10 acres of land for his film institute and studio project. Ashutosh Shukla, editor of the Lucknow edition of Dainik Jagran, spoke of the various beautiful locations in U.P., where films could be shot.
Hema Malini, member of Parliament, recalled how people often approached her for a break in films just like she had given Shah Rukh Khan a break when he was starting out as an actor. She said, thousands of people come from different parts of the country to Bombay to become actors but many of them do not find success. She asked such persons to look beyond the area of acting and find avenues behind the camera instead.
I & B minister Anurag Singh Thakur said, it was sad that some successful people had used unfair means to retain power in the film industry but added that social media was the greatest leveller. Bhojpuri film actor and MP Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’ proposed the vote of thanks.
The arrangements for the session on media and entertainment, made by Shishir Singh (director, information and public relations department, government of U.P., and secretary, Film Bandhu), Sanjai Prasad (principal secretary and chairman, Film Bandhu), and Dinesh Sahgal (deputy director, Film Bandhu), were fantastic.