Rupesh Samant

Panaji, Feb 21: After few of the movies showing Goa in a poor light in their story plots, state-run Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) is working on modalities how to stop it without curbing the creative freedom of the movie directors, a senior official said.

ESG vice-chairman Subhash Faldesai said that they are also contemplating the possibility getting undertaking from the producer of the movies that are shot in Goa that their movie will not “malign the image of the coastal state.”

The issue has cropped up after Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant, who is also Chairman of ESG, took strong objection to some scenes in the recently released flick ‘Malang’ which shows the state as drugs destination.

Mohit Suri directed flick was extensively shot in Goa. ESG is the nodal agency which regulates the film shootings in the state.

“If there is any scene which directly or indirectly maligns the perception about Goa, then ESG will not allow it to happen. There should not be the wrong perception created about drugs, liquor, prostitution, EDMs about Goa,” Faldesai said.

He said that the ESG is also contemplating the possibility of getting undertaking from the producers before permitting them to shoot that they will not malign the image of the state.

“We believe in protecting creative freedom of director, but not at the cost of Goa’s image,” the ESG vice-chairman said.
ESG Chief Executive Officer Amit Satija said that the body is in the process of working out modalities on how to stop the distortion of Goa’s image.

“We are also consulting out the legal team before framing the guidelines for the movie makers,” he said.

ESG is a state-run body affiliated to Goa Information and Publicity Department which hosts International Film Festival of India (IFFI) annually in the state.