Film Awards to Move to Tourist Spots as States Invited to Bid

The National Film Awards will be held at prominent tourist destinations rather than conventional venues, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw said, inviting states to submit proposals to host future editions.

Speaking to the media, Vaishnaw said the move draws on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's approach of taking national events beyond their usual settings and linking them with locations across the country. He pointed to Ekta Nagar, home to the world's tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, as an example of a destination that has gained international recognition and holds strong appeal.

The minister said visits by the President of India and leading figures from the Indian film industry to such a destination would give more people a chance to learn about it and experience it firsthand. The aim, he said, is to take the awards past the conference room and bring them closer to the public, while using tourism to promote them.

States have been asked to identify their best tourist destinations for hosting the ceremony. Proposals should detail the facilities available and include a plan for the 360-degree development of the chosen site. The state whose proposal is selected will host the next National Film Awards at the destination it puts forward.

Vaishnaw recalled that during India's G20 presidency, events were spread across different parts of the country and held in various states. The film awards, he said, are being taken across India as part of a broader effort to explore how cinema and tourism can be brought together.

According to the minister, linking film and tourism would benefit the host destination while allowing the National Film Awards to move beyond a conference room and reach physical locations nationwide.