Shooting spots seek fee hike
The prices have not been reviewed for years
Hyderabad: Film producers pay a pittance for shooting in government-owned spots like rivers, beaches, public places, jails, zoo, parks and reserve forests. For instance the Nehru Zoo is paid Rs 10,000 a day and it is only Rs 5,000 per day for shooting at Vizag beach or along the river Krishna and reserve forests. The prices have not been reviewed for years.
According to the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce, shooting at the HMDA-run parks including Indira Park, Lumbini Park, Sajeevaiah Park, Krishna Kant Park and Necklace Road costs Rs 15,000 per day. For shooting in Public Gardens and temples, producers pay Rs 10,000.
Telangana forest department chief wildlife warden P. K. Sharma, said, “The present rate for shooting a film in a forest area is Rs 5,000 a day. Shooting is just allowed in reserved forests and ecotourism zone in protected areas and not in the core areas.
“It has been more than a decade since the rates were last revised and there is a need for a revision,” Mr Sharma added.
Sources said a proposal to revise the rates from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 was sent about two months ago by the forest department to the government, approval for which is pending.
No proposal has been sent to revise the rates for shooting a film at the city zoo. According to Nehru zoo officials there is a need to enhance the fee.
“Eight months ago a Telugu film was shot in the zoo,’ said an official. In Andhra Pradesh no proposals have been sent yet for revising the fees to shoot films in forest areas.