Chhattisgarh has taken a decisive step toward entering India’s film-production map. On Saturday, Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai presided over the foundation stone ceremony of Chitrotpala International Film City and Tribal & Cultural Convention Centre, a large-scale infrastructure project aimed at turning the central Indian state into a filming and cultural hub.
The ambitious development marks Chhattisgarh’s strongest push yet to attract national and international film productions.
Inside the Film City Plan
The first phase of the project will span 95 acres and is being developed by creator Tarun Rathi through Rajnandini Entertainment Ltd. and Indradeep Infra Ltd..
Crucially, the project has received backing under the Special Assistance Scheme from India’s Ministry of Tourism, giving it central government support. The facility is being positioned as India’s first fully equipped international film city, offering end-to-end production infrastructure.
Bollywood Already Showing Interest
Even before construction begins in earnest, industry interest is reportedly building. Early discussions are said to be exploring the film city as a shooting destination for big-ticket Hindi projects, including Golmaal 5 and Gadar 3, along with several other titles currently in pre-production.
Veteran filmmaker Anil Sharma, best known for the Gadar franchise, was present at the ceremony, adding credibility to the state’s filmmaking ambitions.
More Than Just Soundstages
The project is designed as more than a filming location. Through partnerships with India Exposition Mart Limited and the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, the development will also include:
- An exhibition centre
- A convention hall
- A hotel
- Business showrooms
- A helipad
IEML chair Rakesh Kumar and EPCH chair Neeraj Khanna are overseeing these additions, with a focus on creating new economic opportunities for local artisans and tribal communities.
Investment and Timeline
The Chhattisgarh government has committed ₹150 crore in the initial phase of the project. Developers are expected to invest an additional ₹250–300 crore in subsequent phases, taking the total investment well beyond ₹400 crore.
Addressing the gathering, CM Vishnudev Sai said the demand for a homegrown film city had existed for years.
He expressed confidence that the project would help bring Chhattisgarh’s stories to global audiences and added that the full development of the film city is expected to take around two years.
A Turnkey Destination for Filmmakers
Tarun Rathi described the vision behind the project as creating a one-stop production ecosystem.
He noted that the goal is to provide filmmakers with equipment, infrastructure, and a shooting-friendly environment so that crews from Mumbai and across India can execute entire projects seamlessly in Raipur — from start to finish.
Final Words
With Chitrotpala International Film City, Chhattisgarh is making a clear bid to decentralise India’s filmmaking landscape, traditionally dominated by Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai. If executed as planned, the project could not only attract major productions but also generate long-term employment across creative and allied industries in the state.
Whether Bollywood fully embraces Raipur as its next shooting destination remains to be seen — but Chhattisgarh has officially rolled out the red carpet.
