VIJAYAWADA: In a first for the State’s capital region, a grand film launch ceremony was held in Amaravati on Wednesday with the inauguration of actor Nandamuri Balakrishna’s 112th film project.
Minister for HRD and IT Nara Lokesh attended the event and reiterated the government’s commitment to developing Amaravati as a hub for the film industry and creator economy.
The launch ceremony was held at the BITS Pilani grounds and was attended by several prominent personalities from the film and political spheres.
Lokesh participated in the traditional puja ceremony and formally inaugurated the shooting by giving the ceremonial clap. Balakrishna’s daughter, Tejaswini, switched on the camera to mark the commencement of filming.
Addressing the gathering, Lokesh said it was his first time attending a film launch event and thanked Balakrishna for extending the invitation.
“I have never attended a movie launch before. I thank my beloved uncle Balakrishna for giving me this wonderful opportunity,” he said.
The minister stated that the Andhra Pradesh government is keen on promoting the film industry in Amaravati and creating an ecosystem that supports creative enterprises and digital content creators.
“Under the leadership and guidance of Balakrishna, we are working towards encouraging the film industry on a large scale in the People’s Capital, Amaravati.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu envisions not only strengthening the cinema sector but also promoting the creator economy in a significant way. The government is focused on developing the necessary infrastructure to support these industries,” Lokesh said.
Describing Amaravati as a “sacred land,” the minister expressed happiness that a major film project was being launched in the capital city and hoped that many more productions would begin their journey from Amaravati in the coming years.
Minister for Cinematography Kandula Durgesh, film director Koratala Siva, producer Cherukuri Sudhakar, veteran producer Daggubati Suresh, MLAs Tenali Sravan Kumar and M.S. Raju, along with several members of the film fraternity and political leaders, attended the event.