Sheo Shekhar Shukla, ET TravelWorld

Madhya Pradesh made a significant mark at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 with the official launch of its Film Tourism Policy 2025 and AVGC-XR Policy 2025, alongside the rollout of the second phase of its Film Facilitation Portal. The launch, held at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), underscored the state’s ambition to become a top-tier destination for film, television, animation, and immersive content production.

The policy announcements were made during a high-powered panel titled “With Digital Dreams and Cinematic Vision: Madhya Pradesh – The Next Creative Hub,” attended by prominent industry leaders and government representatives.

On the occasion, Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary, Tourism & Culture, and Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, stated: “Madhya Pradesh is now a truly ‘ease-of-shooting’ destination. With up to ₹2 crore in financial incentives, fast-track single-window clearances, and local collaboration opportunities, we are set to redefine India’s filming landscape.”

The Film Tourism Policy 2025 offers:
– ₹1.5 crore incentive for first-time shoots in MP
– ₹1.75 crore for second-time shoots
– Up to ₹2 crore for third-time shoots
– Additional bonuses for films in regional languages and those promoting local talent

Shukla emphasised the cultural and operational edge that MP offers over traditional production hubs, stating the state is ready to “give Mumbai a run for its money.”

Bollywood actor Aamir Khan, who visited the “Incredible Madhya Pradesh” pavilion, praised the state’s welcoming atmosphere and diversity of shooting locations. “Madhya Pradesh is cinema-friendly. Its locations are beautiful, crews face minimal hurdles, and production becomes both time- and cost-efficient,” he said, while commending the newly launched policies.

Khan also took note of the updated AVGC-XR Policy 2025, expressing interest in future collaborations in the state’s growing animation and digital content space.

Filmmaker Ekta Kapoor echoed this sentiment, stating: “Just like Spain, which became a global filming hotspot through robust policy support, Madhya Pradesh is ticking all the right boxes — incentives, infrastructure, cultural depth. It’s my first choice for future projects.”

Organized by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, WAVES 2025 was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. The summit aimed to bring together India’s creative, content, and tourism ecosystems under one roof.