Karnataka budget boost for Kannada film industry with single-window clearance, digital map for locations

Karnataka Budget's push for film industry.

• Karnataka launches Cine Mitra for digital film shoot approvals
• Film Location Digital Map to help filmmakers find shooting spots
• Rs 20 crore allocated to clear pending Kannada film subsidies

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The Karnataka Budget 2026–27 has introduced a series of measures aimed at strengthening the state’s film and audiovisual ecosystem, with a focus on simplifying shooting permissions, digitising archives and building film infrastructure.

One of the key announcements is the creation of 'Cine Mitra,' a single-window digital platform that will streamline approvals required for shoots in the state. The portal will integrate permissions from multiple government departments onto one unified system, allowing filmmakers to apply for and track clearances online instead of navigating separate agencies.

To promote the state as a filming destination, the government will also develop a "Karnataka Film Location Digital Map". The project, to be implemented at a cost of Rs 1 crore, will catalogue tourist destinations, historical monuments, and potential filming locations across the state. The digital map is expected to help production houses identify shooting locations more easily while also promoting Karnataka’s cultural and natural sites to filmmakers.

The budget also addresses pending financial support for the Kannada film industry. While the subsidy scheme has been discontinued, the government said it has already selected eligible films for subsidies for three years in 2025–26. An allocation of Rs 20 crore has now been made to clear subsidies for the remaining years.

The budget also announced "Digital Drishya Karnataka", a digital platform to archive and digitise photographs and video documentaries held by the state’s information and cultural departments. The government has earmarked Rs 5 crore for the project, which aims to preserve historical visual records and make them accessible through digital platforms.

The budget also reiterated push for a film city in Mysuru, a long-pending project designed to strengthen the infrastructure of the Kannada film industry. The project, initially approved at an estimated cost of Rs 500 crore, has received revised administrative approval. The updated plan expands the project to include a theme park, star hotels and restaurants, creating a larger entertainment and tourism hub around the film production facility. A transaction adviser has already been appointed to guide the project’s development.