Tamil Nadu to be global entertainment epicentre: CM

Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi, in his inaugural address at Media and Entertainment Business Conclave (MEBC) 2009, spoke about his dream and vision to make Tamil Nadu "an entertainment epicentre for the global industry." He spoke about Sony Pictures announcing the opening of its facility in Chennai last year and recent announcement of a strategic alliance between Warner Brothers and Chennai-based Prasad Corporation. The alliance will "bring their combined skills in digital post-production and film restoration to clients in Hollywood, India and around the world," he said. Karunanidhi also said that a welfare board for the cinema industry had been constituted by his government and it will help the cinema industry to develop a film city in the state. He assured that his government had decided to render all the necessary assistance. Karunanidhi highlighted the state government’s efforts in helping the Tamil film industry by reduction of entertainment tax from 54 per cent to 25 per cent. Also, the tax has now been totally waived off for films having pure Tamil titles, he added.