HYDERABAD: A crucial meeting between Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy and top producers, directors, and actors of the Telugu film industry (Tollywood) was held at the police command control centre here on Thursday.
Chief minister Revanth and deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka assured Tollywood of government’s full support to elevate the film industry to the next level and make Hyderabad an international film hub.
Sharing his vision for the development of Telangana and the film industry, chief minister Revanth said the film industry and the state government should work together to elevate the Telugu film industry to a global level and transform Hyderabad into an international film hub by attracting even Hollywood filmmakers to come to this metropolitan area and make movies.
Telangana film development corporation chairman Dil Raju, who facilitated the meeting between the film industry and the government, briefly shared the meeting’s contents. He said the entire film industry was happy with the way chief minister Revanth reacted and extended support to the film industry. “Issues like benefit shows and cinema ticket price hikes will not be allowed hereafter. These are small issues that could be taken up later and resolved, but the vision shared by the chief minister to elevate the cinema industry to the next level and make Hyderabad an international film hub was accepted by the film industry,” Dil Raju said.
On the occasion, chief minister Revanth announced the constitution of a cabinet subcommittee headed by deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka and told the cinema industry people to submit all their demands, suggestions, and objections to this committee. The chief minister asked the Telugu film industry to also constitute a meeting that should meet this cabinet subcommittee periodically.
“The Congress government in Telangana wants Telugu cinema to make a mark at a global level. The film industry should guide the state government to make Hyderabad city an international film hub. Tell us how to attract even Bollywood filmmakers to come to Hyderabad and make films here. Encourage Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, and other film industries to come to Hyderabad and Telangana. Promote temple and eco-tourism, and big heroes should partner with the govt in giving social messages to the people in video clips,” chief minister Revanth said.
Over 40 film personalities, including Allu Arvind, father of Pushpa-2 hero Allu Arjun, Telangana Film Development Corporation Chairman Dil Raju, actors Akkineni Nagarjuna and D Venkatesh, and senior film producer and director Raghavendra Rao, attended the meeting.
The meeting was held against the backdrop of putting an end to the standoff between the film industry and the government that emerged after the Pushpa-2 benefit show stampede that killed a woman and left another in serious condition in a hospital.
It was an in-camera meeting, but sources said chief minister Revanth sent a stern message to Tollywood that the government will not tolerate any danger to the lives of the people and would maintain law and order at all costs. Revanth also made it clear in the meeting that benefit shows will not be allowed. Director General of Police Jitender said bouncers of actors should be kept under control, and the law will deal sternly with any kind of their overaction.
On their part, the cinema industry representatives said big-budget films needed benefit shows, ticket price hikes, and other tax rebates, and it was not wrong on the part of the film industry to expect these benefits after investing huge amounts to make a film. Dil Raju said he would hold a meeting with the film industry soon and get back to the govt with their demands, suggestions, and objections. “It was a successful meeting, and all misconceptions created by some forces that there was a standoff between the govt and film industry have been blown away with this meeting,” he said.
