Andhra Pradesh Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh recently met Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt during his official visit to Mumbai. The meeting has since become a key talking point in both political and film industry circles.
While the interaction was a courtesy call, discussions reportedly focused on the development of the film industry in Andhra Pradesh. Nara Lokesh and Sanjay Dutt explored possibilities of positioning the state as a major hub for film shootings and allied cinema-related activities.
During the meeting, reportedly the minister outlined the state government’s plans to support the cinema sector. A major proposal discussed was the construction of a new Film City in Andhra Pradesh with international standards. Nara Lokesh emphasized the government’s intent to create world-class infrastructure that would attract filmmakers from across the country.
Reacting to the development, producer-director Kona Venkat welcomed the initiative. “TDP Minister Lokesh has done a good job by meeting Sanjay Dutt. This move will definitely help to make Andhra Pradesh a film hub,” he said.
Kona Venkat highlighted the state’s natural advantages, saying Andhra Pradesh offers picturesque beaches, waterfalls, dense forests, untouched rural landscapes and emerging and old small towns that are ideal for both contemporary and period films. However, he stressed that the government must fast-track its plans and introduce attractive incentives.
“States like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and a few others reimburse shooting expenses incurred within their territories. Andhra Pradesh should also follow a similar model to attract producers from Bollywood, Kollywood and Bhojpuri and others since cash incentive is lucrative,” he said.
Sharing his own experience, Kona Venkat added, “I shot my film Comrade Kalyan in Odisha and received locations free of cost due to the single-window system. I am now awaiting a 25 percent reimbursement after submitting the censor version. A committee will study whether a film has 25 percent footage shot in Odisha locations in censored version and would pass the bill for reimbursement process. I would be receiving my incentive within two or three weeks. I wish AP also emulates the idea and reimburses producers after 100 days of submissions,’”
He further noted that offering reimbursements of 20 to 25 percent on shooting expenses in Andhra Pradesh would act as a strong initial incentive. “Along with this, the government should activate the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Development Corporation and facilitate loans for setting up studios and post-production facilities such as dubbing, sound recording and DI studios. This will create a complete ecosystem for filmmakers,” he added.
Kona Venkat also urged the government to support Telugu producers currently shooting in the state. “At present, nearly 10 to 12 film shoots are happening in the Rajahmundry region because of its lush greenery and rural backdrop. With proper cash incentives, filmmakers from Kollywood and Mollywood will also be encouraged to shoot in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
Filmmaker Teja echoed similar views and encouraged producers to move their projects to Andhra Pradesh. “AP is far more affordable and offers public locations free of cost. For my film Ahimsa, I shot across parks, flyovers, streets, hospitals, dams and highways without paying location fees. We only paid ₹1,000 as documentation charges to APFDC,” he said.
Teja pointed out that small and medium-budget filmmakers can save anywhere between ₹15 lakh and ₹35 lakh per film. “In Telangana, especially Hyderabad, shooting costs are extremely high. Andhra Pradesh provides a hassle-free and economical alternative,” he added.
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