India Cine Hub streamlines film permits as content economy expands

MUMBAI: The paperwork behind the camera is getting a little less dramatic, with the India Cine Hub (ICH) emerging as a single-window digital platform aimed at making filming in India easier for domestic and international creators.

Managed by the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), the portal brings film-permit processes into one digital system, including state approvals, police clearances, location permissions and co-production applications. The move comes as India’s film, television and online content sector continues to expand, generating USD 13.1 billion in revenue in FY2024, up 18 per cent from 2019.

The sector is projected to grow at 6 to 10 per cent annually in the coming years, reaching an estimated USD 17.5 billion to USD 19.7 billion by FY2029. A young population, expanding 5G network and lower data costs are among the factors driving the wider content ecosystem.

For filmmakers, however, the attraction is not just the size of the audience but the range of locations. From the Himalayas to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and heritage sites across Rajasthan, India offers a varied filming landscape. The ICH aims to make accessing those locations less cumbersome by allowing creators to apply for permissions through a unified portal.

The platform also works with States and Union Territories to showcase filming locations, infrastructure and local resources. Its GIS-based directory provides information on shooting locations, relevant authorities and established filming hubs, while resource directories cover vendors ranging from post-production companies and studios to equipment rentals, casting agencies, hotels, medical facilities, security services and travel operators.

International creators can use the platform to apply for filming permissions and facilitate film visa processing. It also provides guidelines covering co-production treaties, aerial and animal filming, forests, monuments and other regulatory requirements.

The portal is also being expanded beyond conventional filmmaking. It is supporting Live Event Permissions as digital infrastructure for the Live Events Development Cell, with proposals routed to relevant local authorities and nodal officers through a venue-mapping system. Nine premier venues have already been onboarded.

The push for easier production comes alongside the development of a wider network of film and media hubs. Major production centres across Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi, Guwahati, Bhubaneswar and Delhi employ more than 1.6 lakh people.

Mumbai’s Film City in Goregaon spans more than 520 acres and has around 42 outdoor shooting locations. Established by the Maharashtra government in 1977, it was renamed Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari in 2001.

Hyderabad’s Ramoji Film City, established in 1996, stretches across 2,000 acres and has more than 500 locations. The complex can accommodate nearly 40 Indian films simultaneously and up to 20 international productions, with a workforce of around 6,000 people. It holds a Guinness World Records certification as the world’s largest film studio complex.

Noida Film City, meanwhile, spans 100 acres and has 16 studios, with 350 channels broadcasting to 162 countries. Around 17,000 media professionals work there, while associated and supporting sectors provide employment and livelihood opportunities to approximately 1.5 lakh people.

The government-backed push is also extending to new film cities, with Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Bihar developing infrastructure in collaboration with private players.

India’s expanding digital audience is adding further fuel to the production ecosystem. Internet subscribers rose from 25.15 crore in 2014 to more than 109.2 crore by the end of March 2026. At the same time, wireless data costs fell from Rs 308 per GB in 2014 to Rs 7.51 per GB in 2026.

5G services are now available in 99.9 per cent of districts across States and Union Territories, widening the infrastructure supporting streaming, short-form video, gaming, live streaming and vernacular content.

Employment in the segment could reach about 200,000 people nationally by 2030, with growth of around 3.2 per cent, according to the information provided.

Filming can also translate into tourism. The source notes that tourist arrivals in Ladakh increased 2.4-fold after 3 Idiots, while films such as Slumdog Millionaire and Life of Pi have showcased Indian locations to global audiences. Madhya Pradesh was named the “Most Film Friendly State” at the 68th National Film Awards, while states including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Uttarakhand have offered infrastructure incentives, location-fee waivers and subsidies of up to Rs 2 crore.

With applications digitally routed to relevant Ministries and State Nodal Officers, the ICH is intended to reduce the friction involved in securing multiple permissions. A dashboard also tracks applications and breaks approvals down across state, national and international levels.

As India moves from being one of the world’s largest content-consuming markets towards a larger role in global production and distribution, the idea behind the Cine Hub is straightforward: spend less time chasing paperwork and more time getting the cameras rolling.