Pune: The Cultural Ministry has established a Film Policy Committee to address the rapidly evolving landscape of the film and entertainment industry. Film producer Smita Thackeray has been appointed as the chairperson of this newly formed committee.

The formation of this committee comes in response to significant changes in the processes of filming, broadcasting, and consumption within the film sector. The state government has approved the decision to appoint Smita Thackeray as the chairperson, recognizing her extensive experience in the industry.

The committee comprises various notable members, including Praveen Tarde, Mangesh Desai, Digambar Naik, Nitesh Nandagavkar, Prabhakar More, Savita Malpekar, Gargi Phule, Asavari Joshi, Priya Berde, Nishigandha Wad,

Megha Dhade, Priya Krishnaswamy, Nitin Vaidya, Shripad Joshi, Vishal Bhardwaj, Ramesh Taurani, Ujjwal Nirgudkar, and Ashok Rane. In addition, the Director of Cultural Affairs, the Chief Executive Officer of Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari, and the Joint Managing Director are also part of this committee.

The primary focus of the committee will be to recommend the initiation of short-term courses in various technical aspects of filmmaking, including cinematography, editing, sound design, art direction, costume design, dubbing, visual effects (VFX), and animation.

These programs will be launched in collaboration with the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) to enhance skills in the industry.

Furthermore, the committee aims to propose the organization of various workshops, highlighting the perspective that film is not just an entertainment medium but also a form of creative economy.

Among its recommendations, the committee will also suggest utilizing single-screen theaters, which are typically used only once a week, as venues for film screenings.