Telugu Film Industry Urged To Make Vizag A Film-Making Centre

The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday urged the Telugu film industry to make Viskhapatnam a base camp and a centre for cinema making. Two state ministers Ganta Srinviasa Rao and P Raghunath Reddy, who held a meeting with representatives of Telugu film industry, said the government was committed to develop Andhra Pradesh as a cinema hub.

They elicited the opinion and ideas from the representatives of AP Film Chamber of Commerce (APFCC), AP Film Federation, producers, directors, writers, artists, technicians, owners of cine studios and all other sections of cinema. The industry representatives feel that Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are equally important for development of the industry. According to them, Andhra Pradesh has more opportunities for development of film industry.

They wanted the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government to offer incentives in a big way to small and big films to shift to Visakhapatnam as were extended when industry shifted from the then Madras to Hyderabad. They suggested that AP Film Development Corporation should be formed immediately. They also wanted the government to set up A.P. Film Commission.

The representatives demanded single window system for all permissions for film shootings at government-owned forests/parks/institutions/beaches/temples without much delay. Such a system is presently being implemented in Karnataka and Delhi.

They sought land for Cinema Special Economic Zone and houses for cinema workers/technicians. They also demanded tax benefits for small films and public private partnership model for setting up of animation, gaming, computer graphics, studios and multiplexes at Visakhapatnam. The representatives suggested the government to plan and conduct international film festival and set up a film university at Visakhapatnam.