Will Naidu’s sops lure Tollywood to AP?

It seemed like AP CM Chandrababu Naidu donned the Santa’s hat a tad too early, when he showered a bag full of sops on Tollywood’s small filmmakers in August. With tax waivers and free permissions to shoot in AP to single window clearance, CBN sure seems to have rolled out the red carpet to filmmakers.
While some say this is a strategic move to counter Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is actively encouraging Telangana-centric films, others believe it was about time the new state did something drastic to dethrone Hyderabad’s status as the Tollywood headquarter. Well, one month on, it doesn’t seem like filmmakers are
packing their bags and rushing off to AP. But, these sops, if delivered as promised, could augur well for the young state, believe experts. Hyderabad Times listens in as filmwallahs weigh in on what the future holds.
50% OF SHOOTS COULD SHIFT TO AP IF THE GOVT DELIVERS ON ITS PROMISES
Film critic, actor, director Mahesh Kathi predicts that at least 50 per cent of the shoots could shift from Hyderabad to Andhra Pradesh in the coming months. “If I have to shoot on the roads in Hyderabad, I end up paying around `70,000-`80,000. the house rents here start from `40,000. Now, if Kakinada, Rajahmundry or Vizag will cost me lesser, I’ll obviously prefer to shoot there. These subsidies that CBN has announced however, might not make a huge impact, given that only 15 films will get it in a year,” says Kathi. Interestingly, he also foresees a change in the region-specific stereotypes that have long existed in Tollywood. “Telugu cinema is guilty of stereotyping people from certain regions, like, Rayalaseema and East/West Godavari regions. Many people have long felt that their regions have been misrepresented on-screen. Hopefully, these sops will encourage more young filmmakers to tell their own stories and eventually break these stereotypes,” Kathi points out.
AP SHOULD BECOME MORE THAN JUST A SHOOTING LOCATION IF IT WANTS TO BECOME A FILM HUB
Producer Daggubati Suresh Babu is optimistic about the benefits of the plan rolled out by the government, provided it’s executed well. “If they manage the appropriation of funds, smoothen out hassles with regard to permissions, maintain transparency in the selection of films by the committee and avoid all other possible misuses, this is a move that will definitely help local producers. It will encourage them to try something new and interesting. However, if AP wants to grow as a film destination, it’s not enough to just become shooting-friendly. filmmakers should be able to finish their post-production work without having to run to Hyderabad, Chennai or elsewhere.”
SOME MIGHT ASK, ‘WHY WE NEED TWO TELUGU FILM INDUSTRIES?’ I SAY, WHY NOT?
Sravanthi Ravikishore, who shoots a major part of his productions in the whereabouts of Visakhapatnam, says that instead of politicking, filmmakers should make the most of this offer. “every state wants development and will invite various industries to invest in them. It’s natural that AP too wants a bite of the Tollywood pie. The entire industry is now concentrated in Hyderabad, but if AP has something to offer filmmakers why wouldn’t they want to head there? Getting permission to shoot for free is indeed a burden taken off the producer. So this is a welcome move, I’d say. Some might ask, ‘why two film industries for the same language?’ I’d say, why not! ultimately, it will encourage many more productions.” Suresh Babu concurs, saying, “We can also take an approach like Kerala where the industry isn’t fixed to a particular location. Vizag, Vijayawada, Rajamundry can be places we could start with and the talent flow will begin.”
ACTORS AND FILMMAKERS FROM TELANGANA CAN ALSO BENEFIT FROM CBN’S SOPS
Director-producer Allani Sreedhar, who has made several low-budget films within Telangana, believes that actors and filmmakers from Telangana could also gain from this initiative. “Two parallel industries doesn’t necessarily mean a rift between AP and Telangana film fraternities. I look at it as a possibility for talent exchange. even filmmakers and actors from Telangana will benefit if more films are made, nevermind where they are made,” he says, adding, “I also think we will definitely see a rise in the quality of films that are made. concept-based low-budget Telugu films are on the upswing. Such incentives can further boost directors and producers who want to put forth good content.”
WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT SOPS AREN’T MISUSED BY MEDIOCRE FILMMAKERS
Some like, Vijayawada-based filmmaker Venkatesh Maha fear that easy availability of locations and no tax burden could just end up becoming an open invitation for mediocrity. “There are many amateurs expressing interest in filmmaking these days. Some of them don’t even have enough technical knowledge or writing expertise to make films. Sops like these could mean that these youngsters will get tempted to make use of the perks and subsidies and earn the ‘filmmaker’ tag. Medicore work will eventually hamper the reputation of Telugu film industry. We shouldn’t allow that,” says Maha. He’s however hopeful that the proposed film school could be a game-changer. “If that comes through, one could finally look beyond Pune, Mumbai or Chennai for film education.”