At a time when US President Donald Trump declared a 100 percent levy on foreign films. What does this signify for the US film industry and the worldwide cinema business? Will CM Revanth Reddy’s persistent optimism that the state is ready to welcome Hollywood films to Telangana become a reality?Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur posted on X: “Over 75 per cent of the box office of Hollywood films comes from outside the US. If the new levy were to drive up costs for foreign studios trying to enter the US market, he argued, American studios might be incentivised to shoot abroad even more, not less. President Trump’s imposition of 100 per cent tariffs may encourage Hollywood to move outside the US. Quite the opposite of what he intended.”High-quality output within such efficient budgets“Movies like RRR have also put Tollywood on the world map, and filmmakers across the globe are very curious as to how we are able to achieve such high-quality output within such efficient budgets,” says actor Nikhil Siddhartha, adding, “I think an increase in the number of state-of-the-art studio floors, reduced fees on locations, and ease in granting permissions to shoot in and around Telangana would encourage top-notch, world-class films to be made here in our state.”AN EYE ON NUMBERSHollywood studios have a very keen eye for numbers, and the tracking system is very robust. “Some of our Telugu films are making upwards of 10 million and 15 million, and that’s a lot more than some hit independent films make in North America; those are serious numbers,” says actor-filmmaker Rahul Ravindran. “It might not be 100 million yet, but if we can slowly start converting those numbers into bigger numbers by attracting the native crowd there in America, not just the Telugu diaspora, then you know the sky is the limit,” says Rahul.UNLOCKING POTENTIALDiverse locations, talented crew, cost-effectiveness, and cultural richness make it a popular destination for Hollywood filmmakers, says Abhishek Nama, film producer and director.“Additionally, government support with tax incentives and subsidies will enhance the appeal of production in the region,” adds Nama.Building our own global footprintRather than trying to bring Hollywood to India, we believe in building our own global footprint, says TG Vishwa Prasad, film producer, known for Karthikeya 2 and Goodachari. “Starting with a high-concept film designed for international appeal, we’re creating culturally rooted, original characters like Super Yodhas that resonate across borders. We aim to take regional stories pan-India and Indian cinema to the world.”Outsourcing would attract a lot of taxationIn the US, Atlanta has become a major hub for filming because it’s more cost-effective and has all the requisite facilities, says Nandini Reddy, Tollywood film director and screenwriter. “Similarly, in terms of topography, I don’t consider India a viable option unless the story specifically requires it. However, in studio shoots, if we have advanced and adapted well enough, then maybe, but that’s a far shot. For post-production, as in computer graphics, etc., we are already in the game due to cheaper manpower. But I don’t see a major shift as such happening also because outsourcing any major amount of work from the US to any country in today’s environment would certainly attract a lot of taxation, making it unviable.”
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