Film City work will start soon, CM B S Yediyurappa assures industry delegation

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday assured a Kannada film industry delegation, led by actor Shivarajkumar, that the long-pending Film City project would be expedited.

The government has earmarked Rs 500 crore for the project in the 2020-21 budget.

That the Film City (Chitranagari) should be set up soon was one of the demands made by the delegation, which held talks with Yediyurappa on the film industry’s crisis due to the Covid-19
pandemic.

“I told the delegation that the government would look into whatever problems that can be solved. The Chitranagari was to be set up in either Mysuru or Bengaluru. It has been decided to set it up in Bengaluru and we’ve earmarked Rs 500 crore in the budget for this. We’re looking for land and it will be finalised soon. Work will start soon,” Yediyurappa told reporters.

As things stand now, the government plans to set up a Film City on 150 acres of land at Hesaraghatta near Bengaluru.

Actor Yash said he raised the need for “the right platform” for youngsters during the meeting with the CM. “There are youngsters who aspire to be directors and writers, but they end up struggling without the right platform. We need a good institute, subsidy, education and hands-on experience to ensure the industry develops in an integrated way,” he said.

The delegation also made a case for single-screen theatres while seeking other relief measures in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. In its memorandum, the delegation sought a waiver of electricity fee, water fee and property tax for single-screen theatres and film studios. The government was also asked to consider bringing single-screen theatre employees under the labour department’s purview.

With theatres shut since March, there were at least 35 films set to release, which include 10 big-ticket productions.

“We discussed the opening of theatres. More than that, it’s a question of preparedness on the part of exhibitors, producers and distributors. As artists, we’re doing our job by starting shoots,” Shivarajkumar said.

The delegation also sought reimbursement of GST to producers, a single-window clearance system, action against online piracy, considering filming as an industrial activity, recommending GST reduction on movie tickets at single-screen theatres among other things.

“We’ve expressed our problems. The CM has assured us that he’ll give us a positive reply. We don’t know what will happen and what not,” Shivarajkumar said adding “The industry has suffered losses for six months.”