HYDERABAD: Post bifurcation, the issue is not whether the film industry will shift from Hyderabad to Vizag. The more important issue for both Telangana and AP, as the two states will be called, is to compete with some European nations in giving incentives to woo the film industry.
Several Telugu films, especially those starring big heroes, make it a point to go to foreign countries to shoot there. According to film industry sources, they get what can be described as incentives. "If bills are produced, 40 per cent of the shooting expenditure is reimbursed by some of the countries," a producer said. Such incentives are being offered by some countries to give a boost to tourism there.
"So, if the state is divided into two, the filmmaker being a businessman goes where he can get better incentives. For the film industry, it does not matter whether it is Telangana, Andhra or any other country. It is business sense that drives them," Telugu Film Producers Council (TFPC) honorary secretary Kodali Venkateshwara Rao told TOI.
The same business sense is now driving filmmakers, who have reconciled themselves to the division of the state, to have titles for their films that would get them their target audience to watch. Hyderabad is no longer central to the story of the film. A film that was released recently had the title 'Venkatadri Express'. The train runs between Hyderabad and Chittoor (in Rayalaseema). The very fact that the producer Gemini Kiran and director Merlapaka Gandhi chose the title is proof enough that the story has to progress to a different region from Telangana. The star cast of the film also went to Chittoor and other places to promote the film.
Well-known producer D Suresh Babu's new venture, interestingly is titled 'Bheemavaram Bullodu'. Bheemavaram is in West Godavari in the Andhra region. Comedy actor Sunil who is the lead actor in the film was born in Pedapulleru near Bhimavaram. So, it can be said, it is back to the grass roots for the actor who had made it reasonably big in the film industry.
Producer Suresh Babu did take a while to decide on the title because that would mean alienating the Telangana audience. "We have taken a conscious decision about the title," Suresh Babu told the media. Showing business acumen in taking the decision, the production house decided the title would be 'Bheemavaram Bullodu'. The obvious intention is to get hold of the audience in the Andhra region, considering the way things were moving in the direction of a new Telangana state being formed.
Actor Balakrishna's new film under-production with director Boyapati Seenu is being shot in Vizag and a considerable number of days are being spent in shooting the film. It was Boyapati Sreenu who gave a hit to Balakrishna after a long time through the film 'Simha'. Boyapati Sreenu who hails from Guntur in the Andhra region, perhaps felt it was wise to shoot in the Andhra region driven by business sense.
Telugu film producers who hoped that the division of the state would not take place initially subsequently reconciled themselves to the prospect. "In Telangana or Andhra, Telugu will be spoken and films will continue to be made for the Telugu audience, irrespective of whether they are in the bifurcated state or whether they are living abroad like in the US or UK," TFPC hononary secretary Kodali Venkateshwara Rao said.
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