Patna Film Festival Opens; Modi Offers Incentives to Film Industry
Patna: April 5, 2008
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Patna Film Festival Opens
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Photo by Shashi Uttam |
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Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, during the inauguration of the 3rd Patna Film Festival in the state capital at Sri Krishna Memorial Hall on Saturday announced scholarships to students from Bihar studying at Pune Film and Television Institute and a five-year moratorium on entertainment tax for those building multiplexes and digital theaters in Bihar.
While lamenting the exorbitant prices of new films being released from Mumbai, Modi said that the people of Bihar were denied the privilege of being able to see new releases until much later and efforts must be made to bring down this disparity.
To attract more film-makers to Bihar, the Deputy Chief Minister said substantial tax relief would be given to those who shoot more than 50% of their films in the state.
Modi also urged the existing film theater owners to upgrade to latest digital technology in film screening and take advantage of a number of tax relief from the government.
State Information and Public Relations (IPR) Minister Arjun Rai, IPR secretary Rajesh Bhushan, Bhojpuri film-maker Sanjay Tripathi and many others also spoke on the occasion.
The film festival is to run between April 5 and April 11 at the local Regent cinema hall and would showcase 23 films from around the world
During his speech, Modi admitted the sub-standard quality of movie theaters in Bihar saying the technology in these halls were so outdated that it kills the fun of watching a movie.
"As a result, every time I am in New Delhi, I never miss an opportunity to watch a good film in one of those top class multiplexes," the Deputy CM candidly admitted showing a glimpse of a personal side of his life.
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