Punjab Film City, conceptualised to give a boost to the Punjabi film industry, is yet to see the light of the day.
Even as Punjabi cinema or Pollywood, as is popularly known, has received the required boost on its own, Punjab government is still in the process of preparing a conceptual plan for the film city - something it was doing two years ago.
Punjab government gave a green signal to set up a world-class Film City in Mohali in February 2011.
Now, sensing the promising prospects of Punjabi cinema, Punjab government on Wednesday 'once again' announced to set up a Film City and the Film Institute in Mohali - announcements made by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal during SAD-BJP government's previous regime.
Wednesday's announcement came at a time when the tinsel town of Punjab is glittering like never before with stars descending on Pollywood to twinkle on its horizon, and the Punjabi film industry is witnessing good business.
After initially hobnobbing with the idea of setting up the Film City in Rupanagar, Punjab government had finally changed it to Mohali considering the better infrastructure and its proximity to the State capital.
At that time, Sukhbir claimed that many Bollywood film producers, including producer and chairman of Chandigarh Film Advisory Committee Yash Chopra, actor-producer Dharmendra, actor Anupam Kher, and actor-director Jaspal Bhatti have evinced interest in the Mohali Film City.
Sukhbir, at a high-level meeting on Wednesday, asked the Principal Secretary, Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Geetika Kalha to coordinate with leading producers of film industry to know their requirements and come out with a complete conceptual plan for the Film City.
He also asked PUDA chief administrator Manvesh Singh Sidhu to scout for a suitable piece of land, preferably in the scenic foothills of Shivalik for the proposed film city and provide total connectivity to that site.
Besides, a core group would also be formed to study the world-class facilities available with the film cities of Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai and upgrade those facilities in the proposed film city to meet the requirements of Hollywood industry.
The core group would also study industry's financial model, requirements for Punjabi film Industry, incentive package for films being shot in Punjab, besides a special package for those films that would provide encouragement and employment to Punjabi youth.
"Technologically, the Film City in Mohali should provide world class animation, film mixing, cinematography, sound engineering, editing and lighting facilities so that no producer after shooting the movie had to rush to Mumbai to give finishing touches to their movies," said Sukhbir.
Maintaining that Punjabi films and other language films shot in Punjab have a great future, Sukhbir added that the State government should provide strategic support to the film industry in this task.
"I am getting lot of requests from film producers and directors to shoot their proposed movies in the scenic areas of Punjab villages, historical forts, Golden Temple and to capture the rare beauty of narrow lanes of historical towns of Amritsar, Patiala, Kapurthala, Bathinda, among others," said Sukhbir.
He added that film producers on their own initiative were trying to capture the different angles of Punjab, but "there is no full-fledged system in the State to provide them strategic support in facilitating their shootings".
World Class Film Institute
Besides Film City, Sukhbir gave his nod to the World Class Film Institute in Mohali 'once more'. The Film and Television Institute was also approved along with the Film City in 2011, to be set up on the lines of the one at Pune.
The World Class Film Institute, to be set up in the PPP mode, would provide specialisation in 48 trades related with film Industry. It would have three-year graduation level courses in direction, cinematography, editing, sound engineering, animation and visual effects, screen writing, make up, acting, production design and art direction.
It has also been proposed to have diploma-level programme at under-graduate level in lighting design, multi camera studio operations, commercial photography, production design, visual effects, etc.
In the second phase, it has been proposed to have advance diploma courses and post-graduate courses in mass communication, journalism, advertising and public relations, development communication, media management, etc.
The institute to be setup at a cost of Rs 115 crore would have proposed student strength of 2,850 and it would be set up on 12-acre plot of land.
Policy to encourage Punjabi films
Punjab government has also decided to come out with a policy for encouraging quality Punjabi films. For the purpose, Sukhbir has set up an expert group to finalise the contours of the proposed policy.
Besides, the Tourism and Cultural Affairs department has been asked to prepare a comprehensive policy after interacting with film industry Mughals within one month.