Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

India announces shooting incentive scheme for international productions

India announces shooting incentive scheme for international productions

At the Cannes Film Market on Wednesday, Indian Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur revealed a 30% reimbursement scheme for international production shooting in India.

The Indian government will reimburse up to 30% of qualifying production expenditure to a maximum of INR20 million ($260,000). An additional 5% to a maximum of INR5 million ($65,000) will be granted to productions employing 15% or more manpower in India. The minimum qualifying production expenditure spending threshold is INR25 million ($325,000). The minimum spending threshold is not applicable to documentaries.


International productions granted permission to shoot in India are eligible to apply for the reimbursement, which applies across films, TV and streaming series, reality TV, documentaries, and post-production and VFX services.  The applicant must be an (Indian) services or a line production company responsible for making all arrangements for purchasing, hiring, and production-related expenditure on behalf of the international producer.

Productions qualifying as official co-productions under bilateral treaties with India are also eligible for reimbursement. India currently has audio-visual treaties with Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Russia, Spain, and the U.K.

The incentive scheme will be administered by India’s Film Facilitation Office (FFO), which operates under the aegis of the National Film Development Corporation. There is a two-step approval process. An interim approval needs to be applied for four weeks before production commences in India. When this is obtained, the FFO will issue an interim approval certificate valid for 12 months.

A final approval needs to be applied for within 90 days after project completion. On successful evaluation and audit of the application, 85% of the eligible incentives will be disbursed. The remaining 15% will be released once the FFO receives a copy of the film, which needs to have the “Filmed in India” credit and the FFO logo displayed prominently.

Details of the incentive will be available on the FFO website imminently.

More For You

Great movies that made  a major impact in 2024
Pushpa 2: The Rule

Great movies that made  a major impact in 2024

ASJAD NAZIR

FROM commercial blockbusters to indie gems and international festival favourites, 2024 offered a diverse array of films that entertained and resonated with audiences.

Featuring a strong south Asian presence, these movies explored various themes in multiple languages, showcasing the immense possibilities of cinema. Eastern Eye reflects on the year with a list of the 21 best films of 2024.

Keep ReadingShow less
Vikramaditya Motwane Black Warrant

Vikramaditya Motwane

Vikramaditya Motwane on 'Black Warrant': ‘There’s an intrigue about what happens in a prison’

FILMMAKER Vikramaditya Motwane, whose new Netflix series tells the story of a former superintendent of one of India’s most prominent jails, said it was a chance for him to explore a “tough and complicated” world.

Black Warrant has been adapted from the book Black Warrant: Confessions Of A Tihar Jailer by Sunil Gupta, a former superintendent of Tihar, and journalist Sunetra Choudhury

Keep ReadingShow less
The-Brutalist-Getty

The Brutalist won Best Drama Film, with Adrien Brody named Best Actor and Brady Corbet awarded Best Director. (Photo: Getty Images)

'The Brutalist' and 'Emilia Perez' lead Golden Globe wins

AT THE 82nd Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, The Brutalist, the story of a Holocaust survivor chasing the American dream, and Emilia Perez, a musical thriller about a Mexican drug lord transitioning to a woman, won the top awards of the evening.

The Brutalist took home the Golden Globe for Best Drama Film, with Adrien Brody earning Best Actor in a Drama for his portrayal of an architect trying to build a life in the United States. The film also claimed the Best Director award for Brady Corbet.

Keep ReadingShow less
Neil-Young-Getty

Young last performed at Glastonbury in 2009. (Photo: Getty Images)

Neil Young confirms Glastonbury performance after initial withdrawal

FOLK musician Neil Young has reversed his earlier decision to pull out of the Glastonbury music festival and will now headline the event, he announced alongside festival organisers on Friday.

Young had initially withdrawn from the festival, citing concerns over its "corporate control" through its association with the BBC. However, he later clarified that the decision was based on "an error in the information I received."

Keep ReadingShow less
25 years of Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai: A to Z of the Bollywood blockbuster

Hrithik Roshan and Ameesha Patel in 'Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai'

25 years of Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai: A to Z of the Bollywood blockbuster

WHEN Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai was released on January 14, 2000, it became a surprise hit and the first Bollywood blockbuster of the new millennium. As the second-highest-grossing Hindi film of the year, it catapulted Hrithik Roshan to overnight superstardom. Directed by Rakesh Roshan, this romantic drama achieved numerous milestones, including breaking records for awards, redefining the Hindi film hero, and influencing popular culture.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of this iconic film, Eastern Eye presents an A to Z guide covering its unforgettable moments, behind-the-scenes stories, and lasting legacy.

Keep ReadingShow less