Formula starts with ‘I’..providing Information
Promoting U’khand among Bollywood filmmakers
By Our Staff Reporter
http://www.garhwalpost.com/centrenewsdetail.aspx?id=5427;&nt=UttarakhandDehradun, 1 Aug: Representatives of the State Government are constantly heard comparing Uttarakhand with Switzerland. The ministers and bureaucrats repeatedly say that there are hundreds of locations for shooting films in the hill state. They also talk of plans to attract filmmakers from Bollywood to Uttarakhand. But, in practice, little has been done in this regard. The existing system presents a sad picture. It would not be wrong to say that the State Government has yet to do the basic work on promoting shooting of films in Uttarakhand.
Filmmakers are constantly looking for new locations with hotels and other back-up facilities. They are willing to come to Uttarakhand if the conditions are hassle free and cost-wise friendly. Otherwise, they are comfortable shooting in Switzerland rather than making a similar investment on shooting in the fledgling Himalayan state.
Veteran character actor Sudhir Pandey says, “The filmmakers’ demand facilities like good hotels and transportation on payment basis at the location. The system to obtain permission for shooting of films should be hassle free. Production of films requires heavy investment. Not many will go and shoot at a remote location that has a poor support system.†Sudhir is a native of village Patia in district Almora.
Presently, the District Entertainment Tax Office provides permission for shooting of films. The filmmaker has to face a lot of problem in obtaining the permission. After 2006, the Entertainment Tax office has introduced a new concept. According to it, the filmmaker will now have to deposit a security (refundable) for shooting here. The applicant is hassled by asking him to visit the office again and again for the permission. The application reaches the filmmaker only after getting approval from the District Magistrate,.
Comedian Hemant Pandey adds, “The Uttarakhand Government should set up a State Film Development Corporation and involve genuine people in it. The government should also introduce a single window system for obtaining permission to shoot in Uttarakhand. . At the present time, there are many options before the filmmakers. If coordination among different government departments can be worked out, it would serve the purpose. Otherwise none of the professional filmmakers has the time to waste in Babugiri.†Hemant hails from village Pabhey in district Pithoragarh and is the famous comedian from Uttarakhand in the Hindi film world.
The primary requirement for the Uttarakhand Government is to put all available information about locations and the departments/agencies/villages controlling them at one place. The most expensive known location of Uttarakhand is the Forest Research Institute that charges Rs 75,000 per day for shooting a film at its campus. Even the Corbett National Park charges Rs 30,000 per day and on all ASI notified monuments it is Rs 5000 per day. Besides this, the filmmaker also has to submit refundable security money.
Film Director Sanjay Khanduri says, “The shooting cost should be economical. Otherwise, filmmakers will opt to shoot in a foreign location rather than come to Uttarakhand. Even hosting a website containing information about the locations, the department concerned managing the location and the charges, would be a great help. The VCD filmmakers from Uttarakhand have explored many unexplored locations. The help of regional filmmakers should be taken to gather information about shooting locations.†Khanduri belongs to Pauri and created waves in Bollywood through his directorial debut ‘Ek Chalis Ki Last Local’.
Uttarakhand is yet to explore the utility of the internet to its fullest potential. A number of State Government websites are out of the web world due to non updation of the content. Web promotion remains neglected in Uttarakhand.
Many Uttarakhandis have made it big in Bollywood. The State Government should involve the highlanders engaged in production, acting and singing in Bollywood to generate awareness about facilities and locations available in Uttarakhand. Stating this, famous playback singer, Sapna Awasthi, rues, “The Uttarakhand Government does not care about its own people working in the film world. I have never received an invitation from the State Government, so far. I belong to the hills and my native village is Pankhu in district Pithoragarh. The government can gain by establishing a network with the hill people working in Bollywood. They can even host a film award function to gain the confidence of Uttarakhandi film stars, singers and directors.â€
Ad Guru Prasoon Joshi submitted a proposal, via e-mail, to the State Government and none of the ministers or bureaucrats thought it important to reply to it. This is the state of affairs in Uttarakhand. The filmmakers come here at their own risk. And they will continue to do so in the time to come. But, no one will come through the efforts of the State Government, as no system presently exists. What the prevailing system offers is not filmmaker friendly.