Telangana CM Revanth Reddy announces plans to boost film industry

CM Reddy acknowledged the industry's concerns, stating, "The film industry brought their problems to the attention of the government and shared doubts, misconceptions, and ideas in the meeting."

To address these issues, the Telangana government has already taken steps, including issuing special orders for eight films and providing police grounds for the filming of Pushpa-2. The government has also decided to create a new brand identity for the Telugu film industry to ensure its sustained development.

In a move to enhance coordination between the government and the industry, noted film producer Dil Raju has been appointed Chairman of the Film Development Corporation (FDC).

The Chief Minister further announced plans to resolve the industry's challenges through a Cabinet Sub-Committee, which will collaborate with an industry-led committee.

"A Cabinet Sub-Committee will be constituted to resolve the problems of the Telugu film industry. The industry will also form a committee," said CM Reddy.

Emphasising the government's commitment, CM Reddy urged the film industry to promote eco-tourism and temple tourism in the state. Highlighting Hyderabad's competitive edge, he remarked, "Mumbai became the hub of Bollywood due to favourable conditions there. Hyderabad is the best city among all cosmopolitan cities."

The Chief Minister also revealed initiatives to attract both Bollywood and Hollywood to Hyderabad. Plans are underway to host major conferences encouraging global film industries to establish a presence in the city. "The government's main objective is to promote the film industry to the next level," Reddy added.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Amit Malviya criticised CM Reddy, alleging that the Congress-led government in Telangana is targeting Tollywood due to resistance from superstars against the Chief Minister's purported attempts to exert control and "extract money."

In a post on X, Malviya alleged, "Something troubling is unfolding in Telangana under the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government. The administration appears to be targeting Tollywood, one of India's largest and most vibrant film industries, allegedly because Telugu superstars and film producers have refused to comply with the Chief Minister's attempts to exert control and extract money from them."

He claimed, "The controversy began with the demolition of superstar Nagarjuna's convention centre in Hyderabad. Subsequently, a sitting woman cabinet minister launched a personal attack on Samantha Prabhu, Nagarjuna's now-estranged daughter-in-law and a successful actress in her own right. The campaign of harassment extended to veteran actor Mohan Babu, with his son allegedly being used to settle political scores. Most recently, Allu Arjun, another prominent Tollywood figure, has found himself in the crosshairs." (ANI)