The Gujarat government’s ‘Cinematic Tourism Policy 2022-27’ has received an enthusiastic response from the entertainment industry, officials said.
The policy is aimed to promote the state as an attractive destination for filmmakers from Bollywood, Hollywood and regional film industries.
It has helped attract MoUs worth ₹1,022 crore for film-making, studio infrastructure and acting schools, with actor Ajay Devgn also inking an agreement for film-making in Gujarat.
Talking about the policy, launched in September ’22, Gujarat tourism secretary Hareet Shukla said it had helped the state emerge as an important destination for the shooting of movies and OTT series.
“We have signed an MoU with Worldwide Media to host the 69th 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.
“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,” state CM Bhupendra Patel said at a function organised in Mumbai in October last year.
Gujarat boasted 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.
“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.
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