TN Govt. slashes shooting rates
Thursday,
June
29,
2006
Chennai
(UNI):
Thanks
to
Tamil
Nadu
Chief
Minister
M
Karunanidhi's
announcement
reducing
rent
for
shooting
movies
in
sought-after
locales
owned
by
the
Government,
the
mood
in
Kollywood
is
buoyant.
Tamil
Film
Industry
sources
told
UNI
that
the
slash
in
rates
for
shooting
films
and
TV
serials
had
come
as
a
big
boost
to
the
industry,
which
felt
that
adequate
infrastructure
and
more
facilities
had
to
be
put
in
place
by
the
Government.
The
industry
also
wanted
total
refurbishment
of
the
once-famed
MGR
Film
City
to
make
it
on
par
with
the
state-of-the-art
Ramoji
Film
City
in
Hyderabad.
The
rates
were
hiked
in
Tamil
Nadu
a
couple
of
years
ago
forcing
the
directors
and
producers
to
shift
to
Pondicherry
known
for
its
quaint
French
architecture.
Important locales in Tamil Nadu include Ooty, Kodaikanal, Pollachi, Top Slip, Valparai, Mudumalai, Courtallam, Mahabalipuram, and bigger Temples in Kancheepuram. In the City ECR, Rajaji Hall, Marina and Elliots beach were the most preferred locations. Mr Karunanidhi, whose nearly six-decade involvement with film world was well known, announced considerable reduction in per day's rent for shooting to Rs 1,000 from a whopping Rs one lakh The previous AIADMK regime had increased the rent to Rs one lakh per day in 2003. It was later brought down to Rs 25,000 in 2004. Mr Karunanidhi said rates for shooting TV serials would be half of what was applicable for shooting a filim.
While the film industry welcomed the move, the producers and directors were equally unanimous in stating that the government should be more liberal in according permission for shooting in vantage points like arterials roads and railway stations. It also stressed the need to refurbish the now-defunct MGR film city to attract film makers from other states. Leading the bandwagon, Kamal Haasan called on Mr Karunanidhi to thank him.
Hailing the government's decision, eminent producer-director Keyar told UNI that when the rates were hiked in 2003, the budget of every film rose by minimum Rs 20 to Rs 40 lakh. ''The hike had a cascading effect as it resulted in proportionate increase in related areas also. Even the studios and private houses had increased the rent for shooting,'' he added. He urged the government to introduce a Single Window System (SWS) to provide permission for shooting in locales on the lines of Karnataka. ''Hitherto, we have to approach each and every department for permission. If we want to shoot a film in Mudumalai or Ooty, the permission of the forest department had to be sought. Under the SWS we can get permission for all locales in the State at one go,'' Mr Keyar added.
The veteran producer-director said the government's announcement slashing the rent had come as a shot in the arm for producers. ''It's an uncertain business and producers suffer the most. Such concessions will benefit the small-time producers to carry on their business here itself', he added. Mr Keyar said renovation of the MGR film city would, to some extent, prevent producers from going to other states. ''We need facilities. We have only MGR Film city in Chennai. It has to be renovated and revived to attract the producers even from other states,'' he added.
Echoing similar sentiments, popular Director Seeman said, ''When the rates were increased 10-fold earlier, we were forced to invest in other states like Pondicherry, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and utilise the services of the local people, leading to additional costs''. ''The reduction in rent for shooting will give a lot of benefits as it will bring down production costs significantly, and majority of the cost goes towards location charges'', he added.
Concessions were welcome, but there is an urgent need to give a facelift to the existing facilities so that Tamil filmmakers stay back in the state itself. The Tamil Film Industry is pinning hopes on the government and eagerly expecting some good announcements in the coming budget session for the film fraternity.