(Let’s explore the stunning filming locations and picturesque film-inspired destinations of Madhya Pradesh)
TTT NEWS NETWORK
KOLKATA, 16 OCTOBER 2023:
Madhya Pradesh is truly a gift for everyone who loves watching the beauty of nature through a lens.
The natural beauty, historic monuments, local tradition and way of life, all of these are a shutterbugs’ dream come true! From some ordinary sites to a landscape amid the majestic hills, Madhya Pradesh has given some of the most unique and marvellous shooting locations.
The magnificence of the state could not be unheeded by the patrons of film industry since long as the ‘heart of incredible India’ provides an enormous backdrop to whatever the case is! Be it a crime thriller, a rom-com, historical, social reform or just a feature film documenting life in India, the state has all such destinations to offer.
Various Bollywood films from Dilip Kumar’ AAN (1952) to most recently shot films like Bhumi Pednekar’s Durgamati (2020), and The Last Show (2021) all were shot at the most exquisite locations in Madhya Pradesh.
In 2001, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan performed brilliantly in Santosh Sivan’s historical pic,”Asoka”, which was an adaptation on the life of Indian emperor ‘Ashoka the Great’. The movie completely bowled over viewers with its visual spectacle. Almost all of the locations featured looked unearthly and were a treat for sore eyes! Madhya Pradesh’ destinations like Pachmarhi, (Rajat Prapat, Apsara Kund, Handi Khoh), Jabalpur (Saraswati Ghat, Panchwati Ghat etc) and Maheshwar etc. were featured in various scenes of the film.
Apart from this, many of the spellbinding locations shown in the film Mohenjo Daro (2016) were shot in the bewitching Bhedaghat. The whole area is extremely beautiful with the lush greenery, river and Dhuandhar waterfall serving as the perfect backdrop for any Bollywood flick.
Madhya Pradesh has now become the hub of ‘film shooting’ and a good number of filmmakers are coming to shoot their films. Till now, more than 150 projects including Hollywood Projects like ‘The Bear’, ‘A Suitable Boy’, White Tiger and The Lion etc. and many feature films, TV Serial/Series, TVCs and Reality shows have been shot in the state, of which a few names are Stree, Sui-Dhaga, Kalank, Manikarnika, Luka Chhupi, Padman, Toilet ek Prem Katha, Bajirao Mastani, Paan Singh Tomar, Lion, C, Aarakshan and Raajneeti.
One of the most divine, sacred and religious town of Madhya Pradesh, Maheshwar, which is situated on the banks of river Narmada, attracts number of tourists and pilgrims each year. The place has also become a regular visiting point for film makers of India. You must have seen Maheshwar fort in many Bollywood and Kollywood (Tamil) movies.
The land of Khajuraho and Sanchi, the jungles of Kanha and Bandhavgarh, the forts & monuments of Gwalior, Maheshwar, Orchha and Mandu, the culture of Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Gwalior offers film directors the most diverse film making experiences in Madhya Pradesh.
Needless to say, the film industries are probably one of the best ways to promote tourism in the world. It could be an ordinary location, but as soon as it is put in a movie, it becomes a popular tourist destination. Keeping this in mind, Madhya Pradesh Tourism has promoted film tourism in a big way.
After the implementation of Madhya Pradesh Film Tourism Policy-2020, the state government is encouraging film tourism by providing subsidies and all permissions and clearances through single window online system. The availability of line producers, production facilities, local artists and crew etc. makes it much more economical to shoot on diverse, rich and beautiful shooting locations of Madhya Pradesh. Vision of this Policy is to promote tourism in the state and make the state a major film making hub to create employment opportunities in Madhya Pradesh. After the COVID hit lockdown, “The Last Show”; feature film directed by Vivek Agnihotri, featuring Anupam Kher, Satish Kaushik and Pallavi Joshi, was shot between 25th September and 22nd October 2020 in the state. It was probably the first feature film in the country which was shot after the lockdown period.
To encourage film tourism in state, Madhya Pradesh Government offers financial subsidy/incentive for film makers on shooting Feature Film, TV Serial/show, Web series/shows and documentaries etc. Apart from the direct financial subsidy, the state offers land allocation under tourism policy for various film production projects like film city, film studio, pre- post production centres, VFX centre, skill development centre, film and training institutes, incubation centre and other film related start- up projects with an aim to develop film Industry and film infrastructure in the state. There is also a provision of subsidy to first films also to provide a great support to the start-ups and encourage talents from across the country to come and shoot in Madhya Pradesh.
Here are the silent features of Madhya Pradesh Film Tourism Policy-2020:
- Encourage private investment to make Madhya Pradesh (MP) a major attraction for filmmakers.
- Special grant for more screen time for promotion of sites in MP.
- Special financial incentives for internationally recognized and South Indian filmmakers.
- Financial incentives / grants / land allocation on construction of infrastructure of permanent nature.
- Providing services in units of MPSTDC at concessional rates.
- Dedicated Film Facilitation Cell for the implementation of Film Policy.
- Promoting the state by participating in various events related to the film.
- Development of infrastructure such as housing and transport etc.
- To make available infrastructure and services such as airplanes, helicopters, properties etc. owned by the State Government to the filmmakers as per the processes.
- Promoting the renovation of single screen cinema, closed cinema houses and upgrading existing cinema halls and encouraging the multiplexes and financial grants.
- Scholarship to the students of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Pune, Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute of Kolkata, National School of Drama, New Delhi and other equivalent reputed institutions.
- Special financial provision for the films securing special branding of MP.
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