CM Revanth announces govt panel on Telugu film industry, plans to bring Hollywood to Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Declaring the Telangana government's support to the Telugu film industry, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday said the former would take steps to make Hyderabad a destination for international film shootings.

Sub-committee for the film industry

CM Revanth Reddy told this to a delegation of Telugu film personalities who called on him here. A cabinet Sub-Committee will be constituted to resolve the problems of the film industry and the industry will also form a committee. The meeting assumes significance as it came amid speculation about differences between the Congress government and the Telugu film industry following the arrest of top actor Allu Arjun in the December 4 theatre stampede case.

During the meeting, Revanth Reddy said the cinema industry is as important to the government as the IT and pharma sectors, according to official sources. The CM said a cabinet sub-committee would be appointed to address the problems of the film industry and suggested the film fraternity also to form a panel to take up relevant issues.

Plans to attract Hollywood

He said the government would take steps to attract the makers of English (Hollywood) and Hindi movies to the city. The government is considering organising a major convention to encourage other film industries to come to the city, he said.

"Our intention is to take the (Telugu) industry to the next level," the sources quoted him as saying. Revanth Reddy also said it is his responsibility as chief minister to implement the rule of law. He also pointed out that the film industry should remember its social responsibility and join the efforts to check drugs and other societal problems. "Previous Congress governments have done a lot for the development of the film industry and the present government will continue the legacy. Our main intention is to promote the film industry," said Revanth Reddy.

"As the Chief Minister, it is my responsibility to enforce the laws. I do not have any personal preferences. Let us all develop the film industry together without confining to Telugu only. The government is ready to extend all support to the Film Industry," he said.

Leading film producer and Telangana Film Development Corporation (FDC) Chairman Venkata Ramana Reddy, popularly known as Dil Raju, said besides Telugu movies, shootings of other languages, including Bollywood, Tamil and Kannada, are also taking place in Hyderabad. "So, the view of the CM is that the film industry should give suggestions to the government to see that, not just Indian films but Hollywood films are also shot in Hyderabad," he said.

An international hub for films

The CM sought feedback on what can be done to make Hollywood filmmakers have their shootings in Hyderabad, Dil Raju said. The film industry would make suggestions in this regard, he said.

"Industry and government would take steps to make Hyderabad an international hub for the cinema industry," he added. Asked about the government's stance on allowing benefit shows and hiking ticket prices on special occasions, Dil Raju said they are only a "small part" of the issue and that the bigger vision is how to take Telugu cinema to the international level and to make Hyderabad an "international hub". "Time would throw light on all that," he said.