Telangana Government plans balm for ailing film industry

Hyderabad: The State government is likely to announce corona relief package to the Telugu film industry, which has been badly affected due to closure of cinema halls and stalling of shooting for the last six months.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao said on Sunday said that the TRS would include steps to be taken to benefit the film industry in its GHMC poll manifesto.

"The government is planning to provide concessions and exemptions to support the film industry and the workers, as they have suffered losses due to stoppage of film shootings, closure of theatres in the lockdown period," the Chief Minister said during a meeting held with the film personalities, attended by Film Chamber leaders Narayan Das Narang and KL Damodar and Producers' Council president C Kalyan and distributor Sudhakar Reddy and producer Niranjan Reddy at the Pragati Bhavan.

The film industry representatives explained the Chief Minister the losses incurred by the industry due to Covid pandemic and urged him to extend support. The Chief Minister has positively responded to their request.

Hyderabad is one of the biggest film industries in the country where it provides employment to lakhs of people, he said, asserting that both the government and the film personalities should make joint attempts to protect the industry. The TRS has already decided to include the measures for the benefit of film industry in the TRS manifesto for GHMC elections, which is to be released in a day or two, he said. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar was also present.