Embassy of India Berlin

REVISED GUIDELINES FOR PERMISSION FOR SHOOTING OF FOREIGN FEATURE FILMS IN INDIA

(THESE GUIDELINES ARE MEANT FOR FEATURE FILMS AND TV SERIALS ONLY. FOR DOCUMENTARY FILMS PROPOSALS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE INFORMATION WING OF THE INDIAN EMBASSY DIRECTLY)

KINDLY SEND YOUR APPLICATIONS FOR SHOOTING FEATURE FILMS/ TELEFILMS IN INDIA TO:

THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

‘A’ WING, SHASTRI BHAVAN

NEW DELHI – 110 001

YOUR APPLICATION SHOULD CONTAIN-

1. A letter mentioning the dates of shooting, particulars about cast and crew (along with passport details) and chosen locations for shooting the film.

2. Four copies of final and detailed script

3. Script evaluation fee: A draft cheque for US $ 225 drawn in favour of Pay& Accounts Officer, Ministry of I&B, (MS), New Delhi (meant for scrutiny of application).

4. No fee is required for shooting documentaries in India.

5. List of equipments you need for shooting, which would be send with a recommendation to customs authorities for clearance.

6. Approximate time required for grant of permission would be not more than three weeks.

7. In case any living personality is portrayed in the film as a Character, we suggest that you share the script with that personality or his/her legal heirs, before beginning the shooting and obtain a ” No Objection Letter”. This letter will expedite the clearance of your application, and also guard against the possibility of any defamation or libel suits.

8. In case of co-production a letter of agreement between your organization and the concerned Indian organisation is required.

9. Specific approval from Home Ministry is required in case you intend to shoot the film in Jammu & Kashmir, North Eastern India or border areas.

10. Please submit the detailed particulars of all the members of the shooting team, to the Indian Mission in the country from which they would be departing for India at the time, indicating your intention to shoot in India. Our mission will issue them visas in the normal course.

11. An expert from a panel constituted by us for this purpose will scrutinize your script. A liaison officer may be attached to a film shooting team to facilitate local clearances and to provide interface with local institutions.

12. Also note that if, during the shooting of the film, if there are any material changes or deviation from the approved script, permission may be taken from this Ministry before shooting these scenes.

UNDERTAKING TO BE SUBMITTED ALONG WITH THE PROPOSAL

The Secretary,

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

Government of India,

New Delhi.

Sub:

Sir,

With reference to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s letter No…………………. dated ………………….. we hereby give the following undertakings: -

(i) Shooting of the film will be done in locations in India in accordance with the script as approved by the Government of India. If we consider any material changes are necessary in the script, we shall obtain, the prior approval of the Government of India for such changes.

(ii) We shall furnish the detailed particulars of the members of the shooting team and the exact locations where the shooting would take place in India at least one month in advance of the arrival of the team in India. We note that prior approval of the Government of India is necessary for the fixing of locations for shooting in certain areas.

(iii) We note that in the case of assistance to be obtained from other Ministries such as Defence, Education etc. separate agreements as stipulated by these Ministries, are required to be signed with them.

(iv) We shall shoot the film only in the presence of a Liaison Officer where attached to the team by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

(v) We accept that part of the Liaison Officer’s duty will be to ensure that nothing detrimental in the depiction of India or the Indian people shall be shot or included in the film. In the event of any disagreement arising between the team and the Liaison Officer in this respect, the matter will be immediately referred to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting whose decision will be final. We shall ensure that India’s security interests are not compromised in any manner.

(vi) We undertake to show our completed film to the representative of the Government of India/the Indian Mission in*_______________ for scrutiny if recommended by the Ministry of I&B and we further undertake to delete and destroy the portions of the film that may be found objectionable on such scrutiny by the Government of India, before the film is utilized for public exhibition anywhere in the world.

(vii) After the shooting of the film is completed in India we shall provide, in duplicate, to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting a narrative report about the details of shooting done in India.

Yours truly