Filmmakers to become Freemakers in Uttarakhand; CM abolishes shooting fees in the state

Dehradun, February 11: The hill state of Uttarakhand has given a new mantra to the world of cinema is “Destination Uttarakhand.” filmmakers will not be charged fees for shooting their films in the beautiful locales dotting the mountain state, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said.

Announcing this at New Tehri on Friday at the mahurat of a Bollywood movie ‘Batti Gul Meter Chalu’ starring Shahid Kapoor, the chief minister said that the decision had been taken to encourage the development of the picturesque locales in the state and propagate them to the outside world through the films, which in turn would help generate employment avenues for the local people.

 

Sounding the clapper for the mahurat shot of the movie which has Shahid Kapoor in the lead role, Rawat said that Uttarakhand, which abounds in locations of rare scenic beauty, could be an ideal destination for outdoor shootings. “All that is needed on the part of the filmmakers is a passion to explore”, he added.

The chief minister was of the view that once film shooting took off in a big way in the state, film production projects would provide direct and indirect employment to the local people of the state, which would not only improve their economic condition but would also help in preventing migration for the interiors to the plain areas.