Patna Aala Re-Bhojpuri cinema plans its own film city

Masala Maar Ke

* More than 70 Bhojpuri films are produced annually. Budgets range from Rs 70 lakh to Rs 1 crore per film.
* Top Bhojpuri stars: Dineshlal Yadav, Ravi Kishen, Manoj Tiwari. Amitabh Bachchan has acted in a Bhojpuri film.
* The films are popular in the Hindi heartland and among migrant workers from the region across the country.

Is the Bhojpuri movie moving out of Mumbai? And where is the new Bhojpuri film city coming up, in Bihar or UP? Speculative questions, but they are being answered. The recent attacks on north Indians by Raj Thackeray's MNS have led actors and technicians from the heartland, particularly those associated with films made in Bhojpuri (the language in parts of Bihar, UP and Jharkhand), to seriously consider moving out of what's now being claimed as the 'Maratha capital'.

Bihar appears to be the natural choice, given that most of Bhojpuri cinema's stars come from there. Top hero Manoj Tiwari says he was overwhelmed by the response when he wrote to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar seeking assistance to set up a film city. "He not only assured me a budget of Rs 200 crore but also land—nearly 200 acres on the Patna-Rajgir Road. That's just 40 km from Patna airport," he says. But now sources say UP too wants the Bhojpuri industry onboard and is offering sops/land. Subhash Pandey, culture minister in Mayawati's cabinet, has apparently got in touch with Tiwari to discuss what Uttar Pradesh can offer.

Currently, Bhojpuri cinema relies on studios in Mumbai for most of its post-production work, at times even for the shooting schedules. The industry has an annual turnover of about Rs 60 crore, with a considerable following in the Hindi heartland, but is still a poor cousin to Bollywood. Tiwari says though none of the actors have been threatened yet, the MNS campaign has led to some concern. Which is why he and fellow actor Ravi Kishen have decided to take action. Tiwari says "the recent incidents in Maharashtra have resulted in an atmosphere of fear. We know it's all a political game being played...but it's time for the Bhojpuri film industry to have a base where the rest of the world can come and take note of it." According to him, with costs much cheaper than Mumbai, Bihar could become an ideal base for Bhojpuri filmmakers. Further, with the potential to create employment opportunities for 40,000 people, it can absorb to some extent the floating manpower that periodically migrates to pastures in other regions.

This isn't the first time the idea has been mooted. Two years ago, another actor from Bihar, BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha, had come up with a similar proposal. And even before that, the idea of Benaras becoming a centre for Bhojpuri cinema was toyed with and abandoned. This time around, though, it looks like things are rolling. Especially since big ticket names like Tiwari and Kishen are involved. As actors go, you can't get bigger than Manoj Tiwari in the Bihar heartland. The man may have dropped a bit in the popularity hustings (he's down to No. 3 in the notoriously fickle Bhojpuri B.O. ratings), but when he speaks out on issues, even chief ministers in the Hindi heartland lend a willing ear.

Tiwari also appears to have a business model worked out. He says even the Mumbai industry will come to shoot in Bihar once the film city comes up. In the coming days, the roadmap to the project will be finalised. But as with most projects in this volatile land, this one too will have its share of politics. For now, Bihar and UP are falling over each other offering land and assistance. But equations could change and it will be left to the likes of Manoj Tiwari and Ravi Kishen to make the right choices.

Source : OUTLOOK INDIA