Guwahati, Oct 31 (HS): National Award winning Bollywood filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar yesterday night called on Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at latter’s office in Janata Bhawan and discussed various issues related to development of film industry in the state.
Informing the filmmaker about the State Film Policy, which was recently approved by the State Cabinet, Chief Minister Sonowal said that a lot of steps have been taken by the state government to revive the Assamese film industry and he requested Bhandarkar to shoot one of his films in Assam so that the state’s natural beauty could be projected worldwide. He assured all cooperation to the filmmaker in this regard.
Bhandarkar, who is in the city for attending the 3rd Guwahati International Film Festival, suggested the Chief Minister that a single window system should be put in place so that filmmakers and producers could obtain necessary clearances and permissions for shooting their films here. Sonowal informed that Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for a Film Tourism Policy in the state was being prepared and once finalised it would make Assam one of the attractive destinations for the filmmakers.
Bhandarkar also stressed on the need to attract other regional film producers from West Bengal or Southern India to visit Assam apart from Bollywood so that artistes and technicians here could find substantive works all year round.
Media Adviser to the Chief Minister Hrishikesh Goswami, Legal Adviser to the Chief Minister Shantanu Bharali, MoS for Health Department Pijush Hazarika, Chairman of Jyoti Chitraban Film Society Pabitra Margherita were also present during the meeting among others.