Punjabis dominate films, now Punjab deserves ‘Film City’: CM

Chandigarh: Punjab is planning to set up a Film City and has initiated talks with top production houses for the move, chief minister Bhagwant Mann said on Sunday.Addressing a press conference after a media and entertainment session on the concluding day of Progressive Punjab Investors' Summit, Mann said discussions were underway with Netflix, T-Series, Yashraj Films and a production company of actor Shekhar Suman to explore collaborations in the state.Mann said the Hindi film industry had strong Punjabi roots, noting that many producers, singers and actors in Bollywood come from Punjab. "Without a Punjabi song, filmmakers feel their film's music is incomplete or risky because Punjabis are spread across the world," he said.Citing artists of Punjabi origin such as Mohammed Rafi, Sukhwinder Singh, Jaspinder Narula, Diljit Dosanjh, Raj Kapoor and Dharmendra, the CM said the influence of Punjabi talent in Bollywood remained significant.He added the Punjabi film industry had also grown rapidly in recent years, and the state offers several scenic locations suitable for film shooting. "We have beautiful locations in Punjab where films can be shot. Films like ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' and ‘Veer Zaara' are based on Punjabi settings. If filmmakers come here to shoot, post-production work could also be done here," Mann said.He said the proposed Film City would be developed after consulting filmmakers on the kind of locations, equipment and technological facilities required, including the use of latest AI-based technologies in filmmaking. "Govt wants revenue while filmmakers want a good environment and proper facilities. We want them to come here, work here and generate revenue," he said.Mann added the project could help generate employment opportunities, particularly indirect jobs, in the state.Referring to Punjab's cultural strengths, the CM said filmmakers could find authentic settings and artists in the state. "Punjab has mustard fields, dams, blue waters and vibrant cultural elements like bhangra and giddha. Here they will find original artists," he said.Earlier, Invest Punjab CEO Amit Dhaka highlighted provisions under the Punjab Film Promotion Policy 2026. He said the policy offers 25% capital subsidy on production costs incurred in Punjab, up to Rs 3 crore per film, documentary or web series, while Punjabi-language films will receive 30% subsidy up to Rs 3.5 crore.Dhaka added the policy also provided 20% capital subsidy for setting up a film city, film studio, VFX studio and training institute.Despite having only 1.5% of India's land area and 2% of its population, Punjab has a large cultural footprint, Dhaka said, adding that the state hopes to attract filmmakers through a single-window online permission system and incentives.He said the state's media and entertainment industry is expected to receive a boost, with Punjabi content already occupying around 40% of digital and OTT platforms. OTT Chaupal MD Sandeep Bansal said Punjab's OTT ecosystem could grow into a Rs 2,000-crore industry within the next four to five years.