Official sources told PTI that a request by a Mumbai-based production house, which acts as Majidi's local line producer, was sent to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry last month for granting permission for the shooting.
"The filmmaker wants to shoot portions of his next venture in areas of Rajasthan. However, it all depends on the Information and Broadcasting Ministry which after consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of External Affairs will decide on granting permission to Majidi," a source said.
The film producers said though they have approached India, they are also in touch with other countries.
Officials said that though the I&B ministry is keen to promote India as a film-making destination, a decision to grant permission for shooting a film in the country is given after due review of the script and in consultation with other ministries.
The I&B ministry hires experienced and eminent persons as script evaluators and takes their opinion before granting permission for the shooting of any foreign film and this would apply to Majidi's film as well, the sources said.
The last time a high-profile request was made to the Indian government for grant of shooting permission was for a James Bond movie in 2011.
While the I&B ministry had given a go-ahead to the film, the shooting did not materialise as the Ministry of Railways had reservations about the manner in which Indian Railways was proposed to be depicted in the scenes of the movie because of which the filmmakers decided to not shoot it in India.
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Officials also said that the I&B ministry was keen on a one-stop window for granting film shooting permissions and has proposed setting up a films commission for this purpose.
However, the proposal has not had a smooth sailing as there was opposition to the idea from other ministries including Home Affairs as the issue of foreign filmmakers shooting in India also had other ramifications like strategic and security concerns, officials said.