Films, documentaries and advertisements can be shot on government land free of cost, the Maharashtra government said. The state cultural affairs department issued a government resolution (GR) waiving off charges for shoots at all state-owned public places with a few exceptions.
Producers will have to go through a single-window clearance system and a security deposit of Rs 40,000 will have to be paid for advertisements, Rs 1 lakh for TV serials and Rs 2.5 lakh for films, the GR stated. The new scheme does not cover Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari in Mumbai, the film city in Kolhapur, and a new film city being developed in the state, it said.
The government said the decision to waive off charges would help in sending a positive message that the state was conducive to film, documentaries and ad production.
Recently, FICCI along with EY released a comprehensive report on the Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry, which stated that the Indian M&E sector grew over 8 percent in 2023 to cross Rs 2,30,000 crore. It expects the M&E sector to grow 10.2 percent to reach Rs 2,55,000 crore by 2024.
In the segmental coverage, the report stated the Filmed entertainment segment grew 14 percent to reach Rs 19,700 crore. Over 1,796 films were released in 2023, and theatrical revenues reached an all-time high of Rs 12,000 crore. Number of screens grew 4 percent and fewer films were released directly on digital platforms. 339 Indian films were released overseas.
Read More: Real estate regulatory authority collaborates with ASCI to identify violations in ads