Celluloid Ambitions

Maharashtra is doubling down on its claim as India’s entertainment capital. Recently, the State government approved a sprawling new film city in Igatpuri, Nashik district, a 54-hectare complex in Mundegaon village that promises more than mere shooting facilities. With studios, outdoor sets and an amusement park modelled after Hyderabad’s Ramoji Film City, the hub is designed to cater to both filmmakers’ logistical needs and tourists’ appetite for spectacle. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has framed the project as a boost to local employment and business, particularly in hospitality and transport.

The timing is telling. Maharashtra already hosts the legendary Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari in Goregaon, Mumbai. Yet the city’s congestion and high costs have long posed constraints on the industry. Igatpuri, perched amid scenic hills and accessible via the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway in under two hours, offers a more spacious, diverse, and convenient filming destination. It comes in handy for a production company as the sets and studios are easier to book, transport is faster and the surrounding natural landscape lends itself to outdoor shoots that Mumbai’s urban sprawl cannot. Economically, the government’s calculus is straightforward. The film city is expected to generate local employment and stimulate Nashik’s economy, echoing the model of other integrated film hubs. Hotels, restaurants, transport operators and ancillary service providers stand to benefit. Film tourism, a sector that has gained prominence globally, could further anchor Igatpuri as a destination beyond production schedules.

Yet there is a strategic subtext. Maharashtra is facing competition, particularly from the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government. The latter, through Bayview Bhutani Film City near Greater Noida, is staking a bold claim in the cinematic landscape. Spread over 1,000 acres along the Yamuna Expressway, the Noida project promises cutting-edge sound stages, underwater studios, a film and television institute and long-term accommodations for actors. Uttar Pradesh is aiming to generate hundreds of thousands of jobs and lure both domestic and international productions through its Noida film city project. Its proximity to the upcoming Noida International Airport adds logistical convenience that even Mumbai struggles to match.

Maharashtra’s response, therefore, is as much defensive as it is developmental. The Igatpuri film city is a statement that the state intends to remain India’s cinematic nucleus. The government is betting that by offering accessible infrastructure, a scenic backdrop, and a diversified entertainment experience, it can hold off rivals eager to attract the industry’s lucrative investments. Igatpuri’s venture also reflects a broader trend of decentralisation of the Indian entertainment industry. As states vie for cultural cachet and economic gain, film cities are evolving into integrated hubs combining production, education, tourism and leisure. They are no longer ornamental but strategic assets, instruments of economic development and tools of soft power. Maharashtra’s approach embodies a pragmatic blend of spectacle and practicality. In doing so, it not only safeguards Mumbai’s pre-eminence but also ensures that India’s cinema industry has room to grow beyond the city’s crowded confines.