MUMBAI: The information and broadcasting ministry of India has planned a number of initiatives to boost the Indian film industry.
Preliminary work has been completed for the development of the National Museum for Moving Images in Mumbai. The Indian government will be investing Rs 600 million (Rs 60 crores) to establish the same.
Apart from the co-production agreements with Italy, UK, Germany and Brazil, the government is also in talks with various other countries for the same.
Additionally, the government is also planning to boost the post-production, animation and visual effects sector by setting up a National Center for Animation, Gaming and VFX. I&B ministry secretary Asha Swarup says, “The groundwork for the same has already been done and PricewaterhouseCoopers is in the process of chalking out the necessary outline for it.”
Plans are also afoot to build an interface between the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and the industry.
Swarup also informed that the expansion of equity base for the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) was also on the agenda. “This will facilitate production of films under NFDC,” she says.
That apart, a fund of Rs 200 million (Rs 20 crores) has been set aside for documentary films in the 11th Plan for a period of four years.
The I&B ministry along with the Home Affairs ministry is also working out a solution to stop anti-social elements from disrupting films’ screenings. Swarup says, “Recent film releases like Aaja Nachle and Jodhaa Akbar have faced screening problems in various parts of the country. Once a film has been passed by the Censor Board, nothing should be able to mar its screening in theatres. We are working with the ministry of Home Affairs to see that in future we don’t have a law and order situation against a film.”
While remarking on the phenomenal growth of the Indian media and entertainment industry, Swarup said that in order that the industry finds its right share in the global industry, the content needs to have a global appeal.
