PANAJI: Bihar is ready to provide red carpet treatment to producers and stakeholders in return for film shooting and post-production work opportunities coming into the state, says Bandana Preyashi (IAS)
Secretary, Art, Culture & Youth Department (Government of Bihar).
In a pioneering initiative of coming to IFFI 53 to showcase the ‘Explore Bihar’s theme at the unique pavilion in the Film Bazaar, Bihar will pre-launch the film policy and promote itself as a destination for shoots.
“We are trying to tell people that if you are doing the movies based on Bihar, which have stories from Bihar; why don’t you shoot in there. We had long consultations with the stakeholders. Their concerns range from security, ease of shoot and subsidy. I want to tell them that security should be the least of their concerns as the government is determined to give red carpet treatment to the producers and for the shoots,” asserted Bandana Preyashi.
“We are offering subsidy to set up studio, to people who want to buy equipments, set up cinema halls,” she further added even as the financial component remains undeclared yet and she hopes the picture will be clear by the end of the year.
Bandana Preyashi also emphasised that Bihar, which had just one airport in 2013 when the last film Manjhi was shot there, now has three full-fledged airports, beautiful roads among its other major infrastructure. While the oldest civilisation landmarks Bodh Gaya and Nalanda there are known to people, places like Valmiki Tiger Reserve among other scenic locations are not famous, stated Bandana Preyashi, who added that there is also a huge potential in human resource in Bihar. “We want to train them for services like catering, security and as guides as well as with interpersonal relations,” she added.
With the push here to bring in the reforms to boost Bihar’s film business, “we hope for increase in film shootings, we are also hoping that tourism gets a boost, local employment generation, engagement of youth. A sort of social change coming with it…Please come and explore Bihar!,” signed off Bandana Preyashi.
