For the first time, the Maharashtra government has published a special book highlighting the state as the country's top destination for film shooting for Indian and foreign filmmakers.
The 100-page "Spotlight", released here on Tuesday by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, is full of colourful pictures and information on the famed, little known or offbeat locales for outdoor film shootings, along with detailed information on the local facilities and amenities available for the film makers.
It has been divided into 13 categories including top seaside locales or beaches, hill and sea forts, hills and caves, waterfalls and waterbodies, forests, sports, adventure, religious, historical sites, monuments-museums, etc.
Education Minister Vinod Tawde, Tourism Minister Jayakumar Raval and Managing Director of Dadasaheb Phalke Film City Jasashree Bhoj were also present at the launch.
In his address on the occasion, Fadnavis said that Phalke was the pioneer of Indian cinema and even today a majority of the feature films teleserials, documentaries and ad films are created in Mumbai.
"Maharashtra is blessed with huge natural beauty, historical and cultural traditions, monuments, but it does not appear to have been fully utilized for shootings. We shall also develop the amenities and facilities for shoots at various places in the state," he said.
"Spotlight" has been published under the auspices of the Maharashtra Film, Theatre & Cultural Development Corporation and is expected to serve as an important guide to filmmakers planning for outdoor shootings in the state, officials said.
Besides basic details of the locales, the book also offers insight into the local weather, transport and communication facilities, visualization possibilities to make it a "ready reckoner" for the film makers, make Maharashtra truly a "film-friendly" state, and help boost the local tourism industry.
--IANS
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