By Jayakumar P
As we eagerly anticipate the Union Budget 2019, we would very much like to see funding for original animation production in India, something which is key to pushing the Indian animation industry’s identity and footprint regionally, nationally and internationally.
We are a country so very rich in creative talent as well as in technical and artistic arenas, so we need all-important state support to spur growth. What is not correct is for studios to be taxed 18% GST when investing in Indian properties for the domestic market while making servicing for foreign companies exempt for GST. The only thing taxing domestic IP creation will achieve is that the original IP market will remain stagnant, or worse still shrink, while foreign contract work will be encouraged.
We believe that support should come in the form of a Kids TV channel as part of Doordarshan for original animated content from India, to push, promote and dynamise Indian production. Likewise, we should have a quota system in place for the domestic kids' tv channels for domestic content. Almost every major country in the world has this system in place, and we should be no exception.
We also strongly believe that incorporating new technologies that kids and youth are demanding today, be added to the entertainment mix, and would like to see a solid infrastructure set up, with comprehensive incentives for creating AVGC/AR/VR parks across India.
We very much hope that those holding and pulling the purse strings will heed to the expectations that the animation studios across the continent have for this forthcoming budget, as the growth of our sector very much depends on it.
Jayakumar P is CEO of Toonz Media Group,
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