Smita Thackeray
DH Photo
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Thursday set up a 22-member committee headed by producer Smita Thackeray to frame the state's new film policy.
Culture minister Sudhir Mungantiwar made the announcement here.
Smita Thackeray, notably, is the estranged sister-in-law of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.
Actor-filmmaker Pravin Tarde, who has directed and produced Dharmaveer, a biopic on late Sena leader Anand Dighe, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's political mentor, is among the committee members.
The other members include actor-producer Mangesh Desai, actor Digambar Naik, art director Nitesh Nandgaonkar, actors Prabhakar More, Savita Malpekar, Gargi Phule, Asawari Joshi, Priya Berde, Nishigandha Waad, Megha Dhade, producer Nitin Vaidya and writer-director Priya Krishnaswami.
Hindi filmmaker Vishal Bharadwaj and Ramesh Taurani of Tips too are its members.
The committee will make suggestions on making film not just the means of entertainment but of "creative economy", an official release said.
It will also recommend how to facilitate international co-productions and make Maharashtra the best film production destination, it added.