Punjab hopes for silver screen push

"Lights, camera, action".... are words that are soon going to become familiar to Punjab's hinterland as the department of cultural affairs, Punjab, has decided to provide on-line permission to rent out 66 heritage sites for the shooting of Punjabi and Hindi feature films.

The state might have ranked 29th in a countrywide survey on the implementation of central programmes but it is aggressively marketing its potential for promoting tourism in the state.

The Director, Cultural Affairs and Tourism, Punjab, Jagjit Puri, told Business Standard that it was a win-win situation for the government as well as the film producers.

This would save the cost of investing in man-made historical sites and the government would earn a revenue of Rs 5,000 per site per day. Those who use the site would also be responsible for the cleanliness of the monument.

The state government took this decision keeping in view the employment potential for the locals as an outcome of such activities in the interiors of Punjab.

The state has offered total exemption of taxes for those who shoot their movies in Punjab. As a result , the state government received 30 proposals in the last three months for shooting at various locations in Punjab.

Puri pointed out that this would also help them to market their state among potential tourists across the country.

"Seeing is believing and when people see the heritage sites and scenic beauty of Punjab on screen they would definitely be tempted to visit the places," said Puri.

The state government has already developed farm tourism in synergy with private players in the rural areas of Punjab that would be an added attraction for the production of entertainment programmes.

In the last three years, six Hindi movies have been shot in Punjab. Bollywood blockbuster Veer-Zara was shot at various locations in Punjab.

"There is enormous potential, we only need to market our state. As Bollywood movies are doing brisk business in the overseas market among the Indian diaspora, glimpses of Punjab would help the producers attract more Punjabis to the cinema halls of London and Canada," said Puri.