Film a powerful medium for communication: Nitish

Patna, Feb 9 (UNI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said film is a powerful medium for communication and it has importance in society.

Inaugurating the film festival organised by the state government here, Mr Kumar said films facilitate people to know about culture and heritage which is essential for the personality development.

He called upon the directors and the producers for distancing from the massala movies produced for commercial purpose only saying such movies were projecting woman as ''commercial object.'' He suggested to make pictures on rural life and social issues with good message and claimed that Patna would be famous in future for holding film festivals successfully.

Addressing the gathering, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi referred to the dearth of cinema halls and stated that apart from opening new halls the old ones should be renovated and modernised.

Mr Modi also indicated for formulating a new film promotional policy saying that apart from general development, the government was striving for the development of film industry in the state.

He also assured full cooperation to those interested in setting up a film industry in Bihar.

State Information and Broadcasting Minister Arjun Rai said the film festival had been organised for the second time in the regime of Mr Kumar to create interest for films among the masses. Besides Hindi and Bhojpuri, some foreign films would also be screened in the festival.

UNI