What was announced by Minister Siddaramaiah during his last tenure about the Film City being developed in Mysuru district, will prevail. The Chief Minister, in the State Budget 2023-24 presented on Friday, said the proposed film city will be come up in Mysuru under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
The big push the Congress government is expected to give to the project needs to wait since nothing has happened on it barring allotment of 120 acres of land at Immavu near Nanjangud which comes under Varuna constituency represented by Mr. Siddaramaiah.
The Kannada film industry is waiting in all eagerness to see the project become a reality at the earliest and is pinning hopes on Mr. Siddaramaiah since it was him who announced the project and also allotted land in Varuna constituency.
Despite being one of the country’s vibrant film industries, the State lacks a one-stop destination for film shootings like in Maharashtra, Telangana.
In the budget presented on Friday, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the succeeding government intended to shift the proposed film city to Bengaluru. However, this was not implemented. Therefore, the earlier plan of having it in Mysuru would be implemented, under a PPP model.
Ahead of the budget, the film fraternity anticipated that something big would emerge to realize Sandalwood’s ‘dream project’. In 2021, a sum of ₹100 crore was sought for the project but nothing was sanctioned.
A delegation of film personalities recently met Mr. Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru and apprised him of the status of the project. The delegation, led by director and producer S.V. Rajendra Singh Babu, urged the Chief Minister to give a fillip to the project.
All 23 film-making departments can be housed in the Film City, giving employment and livelihood to a lot of people, and improving the quality of film making, the industry said.
The project has already been delayed due to confusion over locating the film city – whether in Mysuru, Bengaluru or Ramanagaram. Nearly 5,000 people can work at a time once the facility is established. Artists, technicians, workers and others can work in one facility for film making, the industry experts said.
Film City can also boost tourism prospects in the region.
