UP film policy: Transforming the state into India’s emerging film and entertainment hub | Lucknow News

Uttar Pradesh has undergone a remarkable transformation in the field of cinema and entertainment over a period of past nine years. Once viewed primarily as a location with immense cultural potential but limited filmmaking infrastructure, the state has steadily evolved into one of India’s most preferred film shooting destinations. This transformation has been driven by proactive government policies, generous financial incentives, streamlined permissions, improved infrastructure, and a vision to make Uttar Pradesh a global centre for film production.The introduction of the Uttar Pradesh Film Policy 2018, followed by continuous improvements in its implementation, has fundamentally changed the relationship between the state and the film industry. The policy has not only attracted Bollywood, regional cinema, OTT platforms, television productions and documentaries but has also generated employment, promoted tourism, showcased Uttar Pradesh’s rich cultural heritage, and stimulated investments in the creative economy. The policy was further strengthened through the Uttar Pradesh Film Policy 2023, which expanded incentives and aligned them with the proposed International Film City in Noida.

A new vision for cinema

When the Yogi Adityanath government assumed office in 2017, it recognised that Uttar Pradesh possessed an unmatched diversity of filming locations—from the spiritual ghats of Varanasi and Ayodhya to the Nawabi grandeur of Lucknow, the architectural splendour of Agra, the Buddhist circuit, Bundelkhand’s rugged landscape, and the forests and wetlands of the Terai region.The challenge lay in converting this natural advantage into a structured film economy. To achieve this, the government introduced the Uttar Pradesh Film Policy 2018, with the objective of creating a filmmaker-friendly ecosystem, attracting investment, generating employment, and promoting the state’s heritage through cinema.

Film Bandhu: The single-window solution

One of the policy’s biggest achievements has been strengthening Film Bandhu, the state’s nodal agency for film promotion.Film Bandhu acts as a single-window facilitator by coordinating permissions from various government departments, reducing bureaucratic hurdles, assisting producers in obtaining shooting permissions quickly, facilitating location scouting, and helping filmmakers access government incentives. The agency has substantially reduced approval times and made Uttar Pradesh one of the easiest states for film shooting in India.

Attractive financial incentives

The Film Policy introduced one of India’s most competitive subsidy structures.Major incentives include:

Depending upon the duration of shooting within Uttar Pradesh, producers can receive subsidies running into several crores of rupees, making the state financially attractive for both large and medium-budget productions.

Simplified permissions

Earlier, filmmakers often had to approach multiple departments for permissions relating to police, district administration, tourism, archaeology, municipal authorities and forests.The new system simplified this process by providing coordinated approvals through Film Bandhu. This significantly reduced delays and increased confidence among production houses.As a result, Uttar Pradesh developed a reputation for efficient administration and quick decision-making.

Growth in film shooting

The policy has encouraged producers from across India to choose Uttar Pradesh for shooting feature films, television serials, OTT productions, advertisements and documentaries.Filmmakers are no longer restricted to traditional studio sets. The diverse geography of Uttar Pradesh offers a variety of authentic backdrops:

The explosive growth of streaming platforms (like Netflix, Prime Video, and JioCinema) has shifted the audience’s appetite toward gritty, grounded, and realistic stories. Uttar Pradesh has uniquely benefited from this trend:

Economic multiplier: Transforming local employment

A film shoot functions like a temporary macro-enterprise. When a production unit sets up camp, it triggers a massive influx of capital into the local micro-economy, creating immediate jobs across multiple sectors like local actors & junior artists, camera & light assistants,makeup & hair professionals, costume designers & tailors, hotel & guest house staff, caterers & local cooks,drivers & fleet operators, equipment rental suppliers, security personnel, local event managers,set construction laborers and liaison officers This has enabled thousands of young professionals to participate in the creative economy without migrating to Mumbai or Hyderabad.

Promotion of regional cinema

An important feature of the Film Policy has been its emphasis on regional languages. The government provides higher subsidies for films produced in Awadhi, Braj, Bundeli and Bhojpuri languages. This has encouraged filmmakers to produce culturally rooted stories while preserving local traditions and dialects. Such support has strengthened Uttar Pradesh’s cultural identity and expanded opportunities for regional artists.

Tourism through cinema

Films have become powerful ambassadors of tourism.Beautiful cinematic representations of Varanasi’s ghats, Ayodhya’s temples, Lucknow’s heritage buildings, Agra’s Mughal architecture, Mathura-Vrindavan’s spiritual atmosphere and Bundelkhand’s landscapes have attracted increasing tourist interest.Film tourism has become an emerging sector where audiences visit locations featured in popular movies and web series, creating additional income for local communities.

Development of film infrastructure

Recognising that incentives alone are insufficient, the government has simultaneously focused on infrastructure development.Road connectivity through expressways, expanded airports, better hotels, improved law and order, enhanced digital connectivity and urban infrastructure have made logistics much easier for production houses.The state has also encouraged private investment in studios, equipment rental facilities and post-production services.

International Film City at Noida

Perhaps the most ambitious initiative has been the development of the International Film City near the Yamuna Expressway in Noida.Spread across nearly 1,000 acres, the project is envisioned as one of India’s largest integrated centres for film production, television, OTT content, animation, visual effects, gaming and entertainment technology.The Film City aims to include:

Once completed, it is expected to reduce dependence on traditional film hubs while positioning Uttar Pradesh as a global destination for media and entertainment investment.Encouraging OTT and digital contentThe rapid expansion of OTT platforms has created demand for fresh locations and realistic storytelling.The state’s flexible policy has encouraged web series, documentaries and digital productions to shoot extensively in Uttar Pradesh.This has diversified the state’s creative economy beyond traditional cinema.Strengthening cultural identityCinema has become an effective medium for presenting Uttar Pradesh’s spiritual, historical and cultural heritage.Films shot in Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura, Chitrakoot, Prayagraj and Lucknow have projected the state’s civilisational richness before national and international audiences.The policy therefore contributes not only to economic development but also to cultural diplomacy.Investment and economic impactFilm production generates substantial expenditure on:

This creates multiplier effects across sectors, benefiting MSMEs, artisans, taxi operators, restaurants, event companies and numerous small businesses.As more productions choose Uttar Pradesh, the entertainment sector is gradually emerging as a contributor to the state’s service economy.Skill developmentThe policy also envisions nurturing local talent through scholarships, film education, training institutions and development of cinematic skills. Film Bandhu has been tasked with promoting talent development and supporting activities such as film festivals and industry engagement.A positive industry responseIndustry representatives have increasingly acknowledged Uttar Pradesh’s supportive environment for filmmaking, citing improved administrative support, quicker clearances and attractive incentives as important reasons for choosing the state for film projects. There have been some prominent films/serials shot (at least partially) in UP in the last few years, with key locations like Pati Patni Aur Woh Do (starring Ayushmann Khurrana, Sara Ali Khan, Wamiqa Gabbi, Rakul Preet Singh) — Shot in Prayagraj and Lucknow, Subedaar (starring Anil Kapoor) — Primarily in Lucknow, Kanpur and Agra, Mirzapur: The Film (starring Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Shweta Tripathi, with Ravi Kishan, Jitendra Kumar) — Shot in Varanasi and nearby areas, Mahasangam (directed by Bharat Bala, starring Abhishek Banerjee, Shahana Goswami) — hot in Prayagraj during Mahakumbh, Ikkis (starring Dharmendra, Agyasta Nanda, Jaideep Ahlawat) — Shot in UP locations, Umar Qaid (starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Huma Qureshi, Priyamani, etc.) — Wrapped shoots in Lucknow, Parivarik ManuRanjan (starring Pankaj Tripathi, Aditi Rao Hydari) — Shot in Lucknow, Other prominent films from recent years– Gadar 2 (Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel, 2023) — Significant portions in Lucknow (Bada Imambara, Rumi Darwaza/Gate, Chhota Imambada, La Martiniere College, Mehmoodabad Estate, Kakori, Malihabad, Sitapur).– Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva (Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, 2022) — Key scenes and the iconic “Kesariya” song on the ghats of Varanasi (e.g., Ganesh Ghat, Ramnagar Fort, Chet Singh Fort).– Films/series set or shot around Varanasi/Mirzapur often use authentic ghats, lanes, and temples (e.g., extensions of Mirzapur web series). As a matter of fact, Lucknow quite frequently doubles for period or urban settings with its Imambaras, gates, and estates. Agra (Taj Mahal, Mehtab Bagh, Agra Fort) sees shoots for historical or scenic sequences, though permissions are strict. Prayagraj gained visibility during Mahakumbh shoots. Thus, the last nine years have witnessed a significant transformation in Uttar Pradesh’s film ecosystem. Through the Film Policy 2018, the strengthening of Film Bandhu, attractive subsidies, simplified permissions, infrastructure development, promotion of regional cinema and the ambitious International Film City project, the state has created a strong foundation for long-term growth. Beyond entertainment, the policy has generated employment, promoted tourism, showcased the state’s cultural heritage and encouraged investment in creative industries. As more filmmakers, OTT platforms and international producers choose Uttar Pradesh, the state is steadily moving towards becoming one of India’s leading centres for film production and media innovation. With sustained policy support and continued infrastructure development, Uttar Pradesh is well positioned to emerge as a major global destination for cinema, digital entertainment and creative industries in the years ahead.