Government hints at incentives for resumption of film, TV production

Mumbai, July 7 Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar has announced that the government will soon issue Standard Operating Procedures to boost resumption of film production, at a time when the nation is witnessing the unlocking phase after the lockdown.

"To accelerate the restart of filmmaking that had come to a standstill as a result of COVID, we are also coming up with incentives of production in all sectors, including TV serials, film-making, co-production, animation, gaming. We will be announcing these measures shortly," the minister said on Tuesday, while speaking at the 21st edition of FICCI Frames.

Owing to the COVID- 19, this year the annual event was held virtually instead of being organised near Powai Lake, where it normally takes place.

The FICCI Frames Virtual Summit will continue till July 11.

As the nation witnesses a phased opening up of the Covid-19 induced lockdown, film industries across the country prepare to get back to action.

On Tuesday, Bollywood actress Taapsee Pannu took to Instagram Stories to announce she was back at work. She gave a glimpse of her make-up vanity room, sharing that she has started shooting amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

"Let's do this. #BackToWork," Taapsee captioned the image.

Also on Tuesday evening, trade analyst Taran Adarsh announced that a new Bengali film titled "SOS Kolkata" will be going on floors on Wednesday. The film starring Yash, Nusrat Jahan, Mimi Chakraborty, Sabyasachi Chakraborty and Shantilal Mukherjee in key roles, is slated for a Durga Puja release this year.

In Mumbai, Ekta Kapoor recently resumed shooting for her daily soap "Naagin 4".

( With inputs from IANS )