Jharkhand Film Development Corporation will soon get a new website to promote the state as a filmmaking destination.
Despite its abundant natural beauty and a subsidy policy in place for the last five years, the state has been unable to woo filmmakers.
According to the Jharkhand Film Policy 2015, any movie which is shot 50 per cent in Jharkhand is eligible to get Rs 1 crore from the government. More than two-thirds of a film’s shooting in the state enables the production house to get up to Rs 2 crore. The decision on the subsidy is taken after the film is showcased to the Jharkhand Film Technical Advisory Committee, which then decides on the sum of the grant. Only films with a budget of over Rs 8 crore can only apply for the subsidy.
Movies that have availed the subsidy include Hindi films Begum Jaan, A Death in the Gunj, Ranchi Diaries, Ajab Singh Ki Gajab Kahaani, and Panchlait. Bhojpuri film Kashi Amarnath, Punjabi film The Robinhood and Santhali film Rofa have also been beneficiaries.
The Jharkhand Film Development Corporation (JFDC) website, which officials said would be up and running in a couple of months, will promote the state’s policies and picturesque locations to woo filmmakers. The website will be linked to the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) website so that filmmakers get easy access.
“The tender (for the JFDC website) has been done and the construction is on,” said Rashid Akhter, modal officer (films), JFDC.
Last month, a team from the JFDC was at Film Bazaar, IFFI (International Film Festival of India), Goa to promote Jharkhand. National Award-winning filmmaker Goutam Ghose's film Raahgir was also shot recently in Jharkhand.
“Filmmakers found the state attractive due to the subsidy as well as other incentives and to tell their story in virgin, unexplored and exotic locales,” said Akhter.
However, a number of filmmakers have complained about the slow process of the corporation specially in granting the subsidy. Akhter said that with the new government in place, there would be a board meeting soon with decisions to quicken the process.
