Ranchi, July 18: Jharkhand is set to establish its first dedicated film institute with the Jharkhand Film Development Corporation Limited (JFDCL) scheduled to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI) on July 22, marking a major step towards strengthening the state’s film ecosystem.
The MoU will be signed in the presence of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Under the agreement, SRFTI, a deemed university under the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, will design the curriculum, develop academic programmes, and provide faculty and technical staff for the proposed Jharkhand Film & Technical Institute (JFTI), which will be established at Suchna Bhawan in Ranchi.
JFDCL will fund the institute’s academic activities and provide infrastructure, procurement and operational support, while SRFTI will prepare lesson plans, conduct assessments, oversee certification and provide continuous academic guidance.
According to Anand Kumar, Joint Director, Information and Public Relations Department (IPRD), “The MoU would be signed on July 22 in presence of the chief minister between JFDCL and SRFTI. As per the agreement, SRFTI would be providing all academic activity which will be funded by JFDCL.”
The initiative aims to provide aspiring filmmakers in Jharkhand with professional training in filmmaking, acting, cinematography, editing and allied disciplines, reducing the need for students to move outside the state for specialised education.
Officials said the institute would build on Jharkhand’s rich cinematic heritage, noting that acclaimed filmmakers such as Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak shot several landmark films in the state, while productions including Kala Patthar, Gangs of Wasseypur, Jamtara and Khakee: The Bihar Chapter drew inspiration from or were filmed in Jharkhand.
An official said SRFTI would develop courses “with an emphasis on fostering and developing a strong film culture that will serve as a foundation for future film directors, actors and film technicians from the state.”
The move also complements the state’s efforts to revive and strengthen its film policy. Introduced in 2015, the Jharkhand Film Policy offers incentives of up to ₹2 crore for eligible productions and scholarships for aspiring filmmakers. Officials said nearly 300 films across various languages and formats have been shot in the state since the policy came into effect.
The state government is also working on a new film policy and integrating JFDCL’s single-window clearance portal with the Centre’s Cinehub platform to streamline film production approvals. Officials added that Jharkhand remains the only state in the country to provide free security to film crews during shooting
