Goa state has a huge potential to sustain the film industry, people of Goa witness regular shoots taking place in the various parts of the state. Mumbai and South Indian Film Industry looks at Goa as one of the prime outdoor shooting location for their upcoming films. Many blockbuster movies have been shot in Goa till date.
Based on the available information from the reliable sources the government of Goa is in the process of setting up a film city in the state. According to them, this will lead to generating the revenue at a par with the tourism and mining industry of Goa. According to the ESG (Entertainment Society of Goa) Vice Chairman Damodar Naik very soon Goa will have its own film city. “Government has already received the proposal for the setting up of a film city in the state. They are working on it. Presently I cannot disclose the contents of the proposal but film city will soon be a reality,” he said.
Mr. Naik kept away from revealing any more information on the source of funding of the proposal. “Right now I am unable to tell you more about the source of funding but government need the film city in the state which will generate the revenue at a par with mining and tourism sector of Goa,” he said. According to him, the state has already become the most preferred film shooting destination in India. “If we provide them the required facilities, it will surely amount into the generation of additional revenue,” he added.
The Goan filmmakers are already lobbying for a film city in the state for quite some time now. According to Swapnil Shetkar, the Goan filmmaker, who has produced and directed the goan blockbuster flick ‘Home Sweet Home’, “Three years back we have started the movement to set up the film industry in Goa. The proposal for the same has also been submitted to the government then,” said Swapnil.
According to Swapnil, the film industry does not create any pollution around and it can be a good revenue generating source for the state. Shetkar said that the setting up of an industry would also lead to generate the employment opportunities for the youth in the state that is currently migrating to the cities to earn the livelihood.
Aryan Khedekar, the radios jockey and film actor who has ten films to his credits, said, “There are people who are ready to invest in the film city.” According to him, the mining belt is the perfect place for setting up the film city since it has huge tracts of land available. He said that the state has endless natural resources which can be used to create the film city. “Mumbai film industry is increasingly looking at Goa and we can tap that aspiration,” he added.
The subject of setting up of a film industry in Goa is being discussed for almost a decade. From the time, Goa became the permanent venue for International Film Festival (IFFI) everyone started capitulating that the Goa state will soon turn into the film hub but practically no steps had been taken in this direction. But now since the government is showing the deeper interest in setting up of a film city, perhaps it may start taking the shape now. Let’s hope for the best. If you have anything to share with us please do drop few lines at the end of this page.
Source: Various Sources
