HYDERABAD: Irrespective of where the capital of Seemandhra will finally come up, the Telugu film industry is rooting for Visakhapatnam as its new base. Even as heated discussion is on whether Ongole or Kurnool should be the capital of the residual state of Andhra Pradesh, nearly 200 film personalities are pitching for Visakhapatnam as the new home of Tollywood.
A letter in this regard is learnt to have been sent to defence minister A K Antony who is heading the committee to look into the issues arising out of bifurcation. The Tollywood fraternity, including producers, technicians and directors, has demanded that the issue of the new capital of the film industry also be settled along with all the other issues before the bifurcation actually takes place.
They have pointed out that even before the industry shifted from Chennai to Hyderabad, a lot of film shootings used to take place in Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Amalapuram, Araku, among other places, and that the Vizag beach would continue to be a major attraction for filmmakers.
Though the A P Film Chamber of Commerce was reportedly urged to send a letter on behalf of the film fraternity, it is learnt that the chamber did not want to get involved in the matter. As a result, producer Natti Kumar sent a letter on behalf of several producers, directors and technicians, who also plan to meet the group of ministers (GoM) on the issue.
"For the development of film industry in Vizag, at least 350 acres of land should be allocated for setting up studios, infrastructure and housing for artistes. The rules should be made clear that all those who have benefited from land or plots in Hyderabad should strictly be kept out of sops that would be given to the film industry in Vizag," producer Natti Kumar said.
Apart from land, the industry also wants the Seemandhra government to build a film studio with facilities that can be made available to filmmakers at reasonable rates. "It would not serve any purpose if land is allotted to private individuals who could exploit filmmakers. It should be the responsibility of the state to construct a film studio," Natti Kumar said.
While there are already some shooting facilities in Vizag, including a studio set up by producer D Rama Naidu, during the Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's regime, around 350 acres was offered to the film industry in Nidigattu village of Bheemunipatnam in Visakhapatnam, just 15 km away from the beach.
The film industry, however, did not come forward to take the land as the price being quoted was said to be more than the prevailing market rate. The film industry wants the same parcel of land to be made available to them now. With the infrastructure hence created, nearly 10,000 people can be employed in the film industry that develops in Vizag, feel those from Tollywood.
source: The Times of India
A letter in this regard is learnt to have been sent to defence minister A K Antony who is heading the committee to look into the issues arising out of bifurcation. The Tollywood fraternity, including producers, technicians and directors, has demanded that the issue of the new capital of the film industry also be settled along with all the other issues before the bifurcation actually takes place.
They have pointed out that even before the industry shifted from Chennai to Hyderabad, a lot of film shootings used to take place in Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Amalapuram, Araku, among other places, and that the Vizag beach would continue to be a major attraction for filmmakers.
Though the A P Film Chamber of Commerce was reportedly urged to send a letter on behalf of the film fraternity, it is learnt that the chamber did not want to get involved in the matter. As a result, producer Natti Kumar sent a letter on behalf of several producers, directors and technicians, who also plan to meet the group of ministers (GoM) on the issue.
"For the development of film industry in Vizag, at least 350 acres of land should be allocated for setting up studios, infrastructure and housing for artistes. The rules should be made clear that all those who have benefited from land or plots in Hyderabad should strictly be kept out of sops that would be given to the film industry in Vizag," producer Natti Kumar said.
Apart from land, the industry also wants the Seemandhra government to build a film studio with facilities that can be made available to filmmakers at reasonable rates. "It would not serve any purpose if land is allotted to private individuals who could exploit filmmakers. It should be the responsibility of the state to construct a film studio," Natti Kumar said.
While there are already some shooting facilities in Vizag, including a studio set up by producer D Rama Naidu, during the Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's regime, around 350 acres was offered to the film industry in Nidigattu village of Bheemunipatnam in Visakhapatnam, just 15 km away from the beach.
The film industry, however, did not come forward to take the land as the price being quoted was said to be more than the prevailing market rate. The film industry wants the same parcel of land to be made available to them now. With the infrastructure hence created, nearly 10,000 people can be employed in the film industry that develops in Vizag, feel those from Tollywood.
source: The Times of India
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