Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Thursday reiterated that the Government was serious about establishing a School of Drama in the State. During his meeting with veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt at Project Bhawan, Das also said that the Government was keen to make Jharkhand a film-making hub of East India. Bhatt praised the newly-implemented Film Policy of the State, which according to him, is helping filmmakers a lot and will keep on doing so in the future.
Bhatt is shooting his upcoming movie 'BegumJaan' in Dumka from last week. The entire star cast of the Naseeruddin Shah-Vidya Balan Kapoor starrer will stay in Dumka for at least another three weeks to complete the shooting of the film in Jharkhand. Bhatt has already announced that around 90 per cent of the movie based on the Partition and directed by Srijit Mukherjee will be shot in Jharkhand itself.
Das said that the Government will offer every possible help to filmmakers under its new Film Policy. He said, “The State provides best of the possibilities for filmmakers from all parts of the country. Nature has bestowed its blessings on the State and citizens are simple and humble. Increasing film shootings here would not only motivate and encourage local talent, but will create more employment opportunities.”
Praising the Film Policy of Jharkhand, Bhatt said that it was an excellent move by the Government, which will attract big budget and banner movie makers to the State. He said, "The film industry is talking about this and many other big banners have shown their interest in shooting here in Jharkhand. Earlier, we were apprehensive about the law and order situation. But it all vanished with the support that we got from the administration while shooting 'BegumJaan'."
Das added that the State was not short of talent, but of opportunities. That's why a new and probably the best Film Policy in the country could shape up in Jharkhand. He said that 200 acres of land was already allotted for a proposed film city in Patratu near Ranchi.
After the formation of Technical Advisory Committee headed by Bollywood actor, Anupam Kher and other renowned members of the film fraternity from the State, Mahesh Bhatt is the first personality from B-Town to accept the proposal to shoot a big budget commercial movie involving ace actors in Jharkhand.