Film policy draft ready, depts’ comments invited

SHIMLA: With more and more film directors opting to shoot their films in Shimla and other locales in the state, the Department of Information and Public Relations (IPR) has sought the comments of all departments concerned for final formulation of the film policy.

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 9

With more and more film directors opting to shoot their films in Shimla and other locales in the state, the Department of Information and Public Relations (IPR) has sought the comments of all departments concerned for final formulation of the film policy. Initially, the Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation was entrusted with the task of formulating the film policy. Later, it was felt that with the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting handling the issue at the Centre, the state must follow a similar pattern.

The film policy draft prepared by the Tourism Department had now been sent to the departments of Finance, Forest, Tourism, Excise and Taxation and Urban Development and State Tourism Development Board for their comments. “Once we receive comments and suggestions from the departments concerned, we will finalise the film policy and place it before the Cabinet for approval,” said VC Pharka, Additional Chief Secretary (Tourism and IPR) and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister.

Shooting for the film “Dear Maya”, featuring Manisha Koirala, was under way in the town at present. Today, certain scenes were shot at Loreto Convent, Tara Hall, in Kaithu.

Several Bollywood films had been shot at various locations in the state, including Deepika-Ranbir starrer “Tamasha”, Kareena-Shahid hit “Jab We Met”, Katrina-Hrithik starrer “Bang Bang”, “Paap” by Mahesh Bhatt, “Black” by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and under-production “Shimla Mirchi” by Ramesh Sippy.

Shimla, Manali, Dalhousie and the tribal belt of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti were some of the preferred destinations for film producers. The state government planned to extend certain incentives and concessions to film producers and set up a film centre near Chail. Maj (retd) Vijai Singh Mankotia, Vice Chairman of the State Tourism Development Board, had held talks with director Ramesh Sippy last year while he was here to shoot for a film. Talks were held with the Producers Guild in Mumbai to sell Himachal Pradesh as an ideal destination for shooting.

The Tourism Department had prepared the film policy after examining similar policies of the governments of Kerala, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra. It had been decided to showcase picturesque locations in the state through aggressive marketing and documentaries.