Government Announces Easy Shooting Permissions, Ticket Porta

Much to the delight of the film producers complaining about red tape and corruption in the state and preferring to shoot abroad instead, the Telangana government has come up with a single window system to offer all permissions for a film's shooting in just seven days.

Minister for Cinematography and Animal Husbandry Talasani Srinivas Yadav said that the single window system would give all necessary permissions for film shooting in just seven days. "The producers can simply go in for shooting if they are not specifically rejected permissions after seven days of applying. The producers can construe not being rejected as getting permission from the government," he said. Also, instead of daily permissions for film shootings, permissions would be granted for one week and above, too, he said.

The minister also launched an online film ticket portal (tsboxoffice.in) to be run by the government (the TS Film Development Corporation Ltd). Addressing the media after launching the portal along with Government Advisor K V Ramanachary, Information Commissioner Navin Mittal and others, the minister said that through this portal, cinegoers could book tickets online to watch films in 400 cinemas across the state that have expressed willingness to join the portal.

The online registration for theatres / multiplexes has started today, and while registration is optional for now, it is being said that it will be made compulsory in some time. That is, theatres / multiplexes can sell tickets only from this portal from when that happens, and no tickets will be allowed to be sold manually, a move that will enhance tax revenues. The service charges will be Rs. 6 per ticket instead of Rs. 10 on privately run online ticketing websites. An API will allow all other online ticketing websites to use this service, but they cannot levy any extra service charges.

Yadav also said that the state government was all for encouraging small films' production and exhibition. To encourage small films in a big way, the government would offer permission for a fifth show in cinemas and the related GO would be issued in two to three days, the minister said. He also stated that tenders have been floated for the setting up of small theatres in RTC bus stands to promote small cinemas and the film industry.

A team of officials will explore locations for the proposed international film city in Hyderabad after Deepavali. Also, a committee headed by K V Ramanachary will finalize the details for film awards by taking permission from Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao.