Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday announced a major incentive scheme for foreign filmmakers. Inaugurating the India Pavilion at Cannes Film Market, Thakur said foreign filmmakers looking to make movies in India will be offered incentives up to Rs 2.5 crore for co-production and hiring local manpower.
“I’m delighted to announce today in Cannes an incentive scheme for audio-visual co-production and shooting of foreign films in India with a cash incentive of up to 30 per cent with a cap of USD 260,000,” Thakur was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
“In the case of foreign films that will be shot in India, an additional bonus with a cap of USD 65,000 for employing 15 per cent or more manpower in India,” he added.
Thakur inaugurated the Indian Pavilion on Wednesday at Cannes Film Market in the presence of music maestro A R Rahman, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi, actors R Madhavan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pooja Hegde, Tamannaah, Urvashi Rautela and folk singer Mame Khan among others.
India, also the country of honour at the 2022 Marche du Film (Cannes Film Market), marks her 75th year as an independent nation.
‘…Cannes will be in India’
Earlier in the day, Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone said she is grateful to be serving on the Cannes Film Festival jury panel but hopes for a time when India will be as prestigious a cinema centre as the city located on the French Riviera.
Padukone, who is a part of the eight-member Cannes Competition jury at the gala that opened May 17, said India needs to back homegrown talent with “conviction”.
“We have a long way to go as a country. I feel really proud as an Indian to represent the country but when we look back at the 75 years of Cannes there are a handful of Indian films or actors or talent that has been able to make it,” news agency PTI quoted Padukone as saying.
“I feel collectively as a nation we have the talent, ability and we just need conviction. There will come a day, I truly believe, where India won’t have to be at Cannes, Cannes will be in India,” she said.
Padukone said she was “proud” as an Indian as the 75th edition of Cannes Film Festival coincides with the 75th year of India’s independence. She also credited Rahman and Kapur, who are part of the Indian government delegation to the festival, for bringing international recognition for India.
“I also truly believe that India is at the cusp of greatness. This is just the beginning. I want to thank people like Rahman sir, Shekhar sir. You all are really the ones who have put India on the map. It’s because of your contribution over the years that has allowed people like us to be here today,” she said.
