India may soon welcome major Hollywood and European filmmakers. In order to give a major push to India as a filming destination for the western filmmakers, the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry has chalked out a major initiative at the forthcoming 63rd Cannes film festival beginning May 12.
A strong 45-member delegation comprising key officials of the I&B ministry, along with those from industry body Assocham and the film industry, will camp in Cannes for over 12 days to push the cause of Rs 9,000-crore Indian film industry. Cannes is one of the oldest and prestigious film events in the World attended by all top representatives of the global film industry.
?The key agenda for the government is to push the concept of India as a filming destination for the western filmmakers,? an I&B official said. In order to generate a focused approach to the film market of India, this time, the size of the Indian contingent has been limited to 45-member team, an Assocham official told FE.
The government feels if western filmmakers and film studios start coming to India for filming, it will act as a catalyst to the growth of Indian cinema industry. The domestic film industry is likely to touch the Rs 13,700-crore mark in next four years with more business getting generated from the overseas market, experts said.
In what would be a first, I&B ministry in sync with Assocham would outline key government initiatives that make India the ultimate filming destination for the European and Hollywood film makers. It includes sharing detailed information of the legal regime in the country, details of the various co-production treaties signed between India and foreign countries and showcasing the various benefits of filming in the country.
So far, over 100 foreign films have been shot in the country over the last few years. The government wants to attract more western filmmakers and film studios to come to India, a senior I&B official told FE.
According to industry sources, the Indian filmmakers generate nearly Rs 500 crore in revenue from the overseas markets of Europe, North America and west Asia. ?A few years ago, Bollywood films used to generate less than Rs 120 crore in a year from the overseas market. Now this figure has multiplied by five times, thanks to the fast-growing popularity of Indian cinema,? said an industry analyst representing a leading media consulting firm.