Mumbai, July 21 (IANS) To strengthen the ‘Creators’ Economy’, the Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development Corporation (MFSDC) and the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Cultural Affairs minister Ashish Shekar.

The objective of this initiative is to develop skilled human resources tailored for the growing creative economy.

He said that this is just the beginning of a collaboration and expressed confidence that Maharashtra will soon become the hub of India’s and the world’s Creators’ Economy.

“Even the common man is a creator. Through creativity, individuals have created their own space – and now, that creative space is being monetised. Hence, building a thriving creators’ economy is the need of the hour,” he added.

Highlighting the meteoric rise of the creators’ economy from Rs 92,000 crore to Rs 1 lakh crore in just 100 days, CM Fadnavis underscored the urgent need for high-quality, technically skilled human resources to meet the demands of this fast-evolving sector.

He stressed that in this new era, both training and certification are crucial. Many individuals have the skills but lack formal certification, which prevents them from accessing professional opportunities. This MoU will bridge that gap by offering both quality training and credible certification.

Welcoming the collaboration between FTII and the Government of Maharashtra, the Chief Minister said that FTII has been producing world-class talent for the country and the globe, while Maharashtra’s Film City has been a strong base for commercial cinema. The confluence of these two robust ecosystems will certainly give rise to a third, stronger and more creative ecosystem.

Minister Ashish Shelar highlighted that while FTII’s regular admission process is conducted at the national level, this MoU will now allow students from rural Maharashtra to gain direct access to similar training within the state itself.

He urged students from villages and towns across Maharashtra to now look to the film industry as a viable career option. He added that centres at Goregaon, Kolhapur, Prabhadevi and Karjat will host these programs and that this collaboration will not only generate employment but also promote Maharashtra’s iconic shooting locations.

FTII President R Madhavan highlighted the rising wave of talent emerging from small towns, sharing an example of how a woman who creates videos on making pickles from a small hut is earning a livelihood through her creativity. He remarked that Maharashtra’s homegrown talent is truly scripting history.

In Western films, the spotlight has long been on the powers of Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man. But the time has come, he said, for the world to recognise the greatness of Hanuman and Krishna.

From our villages and cities emerge unique, untold stories – powerful narratives through which India can project both its ‘super power’ and ‘soft power’ to the world, he said.

–IANS

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