Hindi
Single window service for film shooting to become operational shortly: Tewari
NEW DELHI: A single window service for promoting cinema tourism is all set to become operational shortly.
Speaking at the Cinemascape 2013 conclave in Mumbai today, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari observed that India with its rich heritage and diverse geography has great potential as a destination for film shooting but the current system of multiple clearances at various levels made it an unattractive destination for filming.
“Increasingly therefore, most Indian filmmakers have gravitated towards foreign destinations for outdoor shoots. Any lost opportunity is a revenue loss for the country,” he remarked.
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India has a great potential to become a destination for film shooting but the current system of multiple clearances at various levels make it an unattractive destination for filming, says Manish Tewari
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Tewari said the government has now decided to address the issue by establishing a single window service for granting clearances for film shootings in India. He informed that a Committee on Promotion and Facilitation of Film Production in India has been set up. It is chaired by the secretary in the ministry, with senior representatives from the Ministries of External Affairs, Home Affairs; Tourism; Culture; Railways; Civil Aviation; Defence and Department of Revenue etc.
The state governments have been asked to nominate the nodal officers for film clearance. The minister said Standard Operating Procedures are being developed to accord clearances for film shooting by domestic and foreign producers in India.
Tewari stressed on the need for a sound legal architecture for promoting cinema as a form of creative expression. While conceding that law and order is a state subject, he said film certification falls in the central domain. He said, “There is an urgent need to update laws relating to film certification and exhibition and I am happy to inform that the committee headed by Justice Mukul Mudgal has submitted its recommendation along with a model bill to replace the existing Cinematograph Act 1952.”
He said the recommendations of the committee as well as the model bill will be published on the website of the ministry to seek wider public consultation. The minister assured the film fraternity that by the middle of 2014, India would have a contemporary law to deal with cinema.
Dwelling on the issue of taxation and fiscal incentives for the film and entertainment sector, the minister called upon the industry representatives to set up a committee of experts to draw a comprehensive strategy, which could then be submitted to the Finance Minister on behalf of his ministry.
Participating in a panel discussion, noted film maker Mukesh Bhatt said 76 different permissions have to be obtained for film shooting in India, while Indian producers are given a red carpet welcome in some of the cine-tourism nations like Switzerland, New Zealand, South Africa, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Bhatt acknowledged that the Ministry’s effort is a welcome first step.
Hindi
Jio Studios, Sanjay Dutt team up to revive Khal Nayak
Rights acquired for new version, format under wraps as remake plans take shape.
MUMBAI: The villain is back and this time, he’s rewriting his own script. Jio Studios has partnered with Three Dimension Motion Pictures and Aspect Entertainment to revive the 1993 cult classic Khal Nayak, marking a fresh chapter for one of Bollywood’s most iconic anti-hero stories. The original film, directed by Subhash Ghai under Mukta Arts, was a commercial and cultural milestone, with Sanjay Dutt’s portrayal of Ballu becoming one of Hindi cinema’s most memorable performances.
Dutt, along with Aksha Kamboj, has now acquired the rights from the original creators, bringing on board Jio Studios and its President Jyoti Deshpande to steer the project creatively.
While the exact format whether remake, sequel, prequel, or a completely new narrative remains undisclosed, the collaboration aims to reinterpret the story for contemporary audiences while retaining the essence that made the original a defining film of the 1990s.
The move taps into a broader industry trend of reviving legacy intellectual property, particularly characters with strong recall value. “Khal Nayak” was notable for pushing mainstream Hindi cinema into morally grey territory at a time when heroes were largely one-dimensional, making Ballu’s character a standout.
The project also marks the film production debut of Aspect Entertainment, signalling a push towards more technology-led storytelling frameworks. Meanwhile, Jio Studios continues to expand its slate, having built a library of over 200 films and series, with more than 60 titles collectively winning 500-plus awards.
For Dutt, the revival is as much personal as it is strategic, a return to a role that reshaped his career. For the industry, it is another sign that nostalgia, when paired with scale, remains a powerful box-office proposition.
Because in Bollywood, some villains never fade, they just wait for the perfect comeback.
