Noida, June 26 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh is set to break ground on its most ambitious film and media venture yet — the International Film City in Sector‑21 along the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida on Thursday.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is expected to lay the foundation stone for the project. The time for the ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ programme is fixed for 5 p.m.

Spearheaded by Bayview Bhutani Film City Pvt Ltd, a joint venture between veteran filmmaker Boney Kapoor and the Bhutani Group, the Film City project is being developed in collaboration with the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA).

Along with Boney Kapoor and the Bhutani family, other Bollywood actors will also take part in the Bhoomi Pujan event.

The venture marks a major push by the state to establish itself as a hub for the film and media industry.

YEIDA had earlier withheld approval due to non-compliance with certain regulatory requirements, including the mandatory 15 per cent green cover, structural safety certifications, and no-objection certificates.

However, after the developers reworked the layout and addressed the necessary conditions, YEIDA granted approval for the industrial segment of the project covering an 80-acre core area.

The mega project will unfold in four phases over a period of eight years and will span a massive 1,000 acres. While the core film infrastructure will be developed in the initial stages, commercial and entertainment zones, including hotels, retail outlets, and recreational facilities, will be introduced in the later phases.

The first phase alone will cover nearly 230 acres and is expected to cost between Rs 900 crore and Rs 1,510 crore. This phase will include essential film-making infrastructure such as 13 to 14 state-of-the-art sound stages, a film and television institute, permanent outdoor sets, an underwater shooting studio, accommodations for actors, a convention centre, and a film museum.

Officials estimate that the International Film City could create as many as five lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities.

Strategically located near the upcoming Noida International Airport in Jewar, the project is expected to draw both domestic and international film productions, significantly bolstering Uttar Pradesh’s standing as an emerging centre for the film and media industry.

–IANS

sd/