Maharashtra plans new film cities in Nashik, Ramtek, Nagpur

Mumbai has long been known as the hub for film city facilities, but the growing number of films being made means Mumbai's film city alone is no longer enough. The Maharashtra government has decided to build new film cities at several other locations in the state. Alongside Mumbai, new film cities will now come up in Nagpur, Ramtek and Nashik. The government is also bringing a new scheme to get more theatres for Marathi films.

The government's plan is not just to build another film city, but to create a fully modern, high-tech one. While preserving the standard of Maharashtra's culture and Marathi cinema, new technology will also be added. The idea is that everything needed to make a film will be available in one place, including separate sets, lighting, camera and editing facilities for shooting, so that directors do not have to go elsewhere for these. This is the plan for all three locations: Ramtek, Nagpur and Nashik.

There is also good news for Marathi cinema. At the 62nd Maharashtra State Marathi Film Awards ceremony, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government is preparing a special scheme to get more theatres for Marathi films, and it will be announced soon. The plan does not stop at theatres; a separate high-tech film city is also under consideration for Marathi films, which will have all the latest facilities and allow Marathi directors to make big-budget films there as well.

Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar gave details on this. He said Mumbai already has a film city, Karjat has ND Studio, and facilities also exist in Kolhapur. The government is now going to build new film cities in Ramtek and Nashik. Land has already been finalised for this, with the film city in Ramtek to come up on 100 acres. Ramtek's location is very scenic and natural, which is why the decision was taken to build the film city at Navgaon. The decision was taken back in 2018, but the search for land had been going on since then. Land acquisition has now been completed and work will begin in Ramtek soon.

In Kolhapur too, two or three new shooting locations, including a railway station, are being developed. Maharashtra has always made a major contribution to the film industry, and with these new film cities, shooting of Marathi as well as Hindi and other language films will increase further in the state, which will also provide work for the state's youth.