Hyderabad: In a recent address to members of the Telugu film industry, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy outlined a series of initiatives aimed at boosting the growth and success of the industry. He acknowledged the industry's concerns and stated, “The film industry brought their problems to the attention of the government and shared doubts, misconceptions, and ideas in the meeting.”

Key measures

To address these issues, the Telangana government has already taken several steps. These include issuing special orders for eight films and providing police grounds for the filming of 'Pushpa-2'.

Additionally, the government has decided to create a new brand identity for the Telugu film industry to ensure its sustained development.

Appointment of film development corporation chairman  

To strengthen coordination between the government and the film industry, noted film producer Dil Raju has been appointed Chairman of the Film Development Corporation (FDC). The Chief Minister also announced that a Cabinet Sub-Committee would be formed to work alongside an industry-led committee to address the challenges faced by the industry.

"A Cabinet Sub-Committee will be constituted to resolve the problems of the Telugu film industry. The industry will also form a committee," CM Reddy said.

Promoting eco-tourism and temple tourism  

Emphasising the government's commitment to the growth of the industry, CM Reddy urged the film industry to promote eco-tourism and temple tourism in Telangana. He praised Hyderabad’s competitive edge, stating, “Mumbai became the hub of Bollywood due to favourable conditions there. Hyderabad is the best city among all cosmopolitan cities.”

Plans to attract Bollywood and Hollywood to Hyderabad  

CM Reddy also revealed plans to attract Bollywood and Hollywood filmmakers to Hyderabad. Major conferences are being planned to encourage global film industries to establish a presence in the city. "The government's main objective is to promote the film industry to the next level," he added.

BJP leader criticises CM Reddy’s approach  

While the government's support for the film industry was welcomed by many, BJP leader Amit Malviya criticised CM Reddy’s approach, accusing the Congress-led government of targeting Tollywood. Malviya alleged that the CM was seeking to exert control over the film industry and extract money from its stars.

In a post on X, Malviya stated, “Something troubling is unfolding in Telangana under the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government. The administration appears to be targeting Tollywood, one of India’s largest and most vibrant film industries, allegedly because Telugu superstars and film producers have refused to comply with the Chief Minister’s attempts to exert control.”

Malviya further claimed that the controversy began with the demolition of superstar Nagarjuna’s convention centre in Hyderabad. He also mentioned a personal attack on actress Samantha Prabhu, who is Nagarjuna’s daughter-in-law, and alleged harassment towards veteran actor Mohan Babu and his son.

The BJP leader suggested that these incidents were part of a larger campaign to settle political scores, with Allu Arjun, another prominent Tollywood figure, reportedly being targeted next.

(Agency inputs)