Indian filmmakers shooting in Goa rejoice!

A proposed tax reimbursement plan encourages more filmmakers to shoot in India's prime beach destination

If the recent proposal by the Entertainment Society of Goa is approved by the Goa government, Indian filmmakers who are shooting or will be shooting in the beach state might have a reason to rejoice.


Jacqueline Fernandes in Murder 2, one of the films shot in Goa recently

According to this tax reimbursement scheme, moviemakers will be able to reclaim a part of the tax they pay to the state for shooting in its locales.

Entertainment Society of Goa chief Manoj Srivastava says, "Any filmmaker who shoots in our state has to pay an entertainment tax. We are introducing a scheme according to which the filmmakers can recoup up to 50 per cent of the tax back."

Srivastava also shuns rumours that post Dum Maaro Dum the government decided to become stricter with filmmakers to protect the state's image from getting maligned. He says they only apparently demand to read the script.

"We have been reading the synopsis for last three years. And if we had any problem with DMD, we wouldn't have allowed the film to be shot here. We have moved a legislation regarding the illegal shoot of films in our state like Anjuna Beach."

Anjuna Beach is a film on Scarlett Keeling, a 15-year-old Briton whose body was found in north Goa in February 2008.

Dilip Borkar, a line producer from Goa who has Murder 2 and Ra.One to his credit, says, "This (scheme) includes the tax one pays in the hotel and travel. The filmmakers will have to submit their bills by the end of the shoot and then they can recover part of it."

Mukesh Bhatt whose Murder 2 wasu00a0 shot in Goa says, "It's great news. Is my film also eligible? Tell them to put the scheme to effect immediately."