Jharkhand to Establish First Film and Television Institute with SRFTI

Jharkhand is set to take its first institutional step towards building a film and media ecosystem with the establishment of the state’s first Film and Television Institute in collaboration with the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Jharkhand Film Development Corporation Ltd (JFDCL) and SRFTI will be signed on July 22 in the presence of Chief Minister Hemant Soren at Project Bhawan, Ranchi.

The initiative is expected to create a pipeline of trained professionals for the media and entertainment industry while supporting the state’s efforts to develop a film production ecosystem. Besides providing formal education in filmmaking, the institute is expected to promote film production in Jharkhand by encouraging the use of the state’s locations, cultural traditions and indigenous art forms.

Anand, Joint Director, Information and Public Relations Department (IPRD), said SRFTI will be responsible for the institute’s academic functions, including course design, curriculum development, faculty and technical support, student assessment and certification. JFDCL, he said, will establish the institute and create the required infrastructure. The proposed Film and Television Institute of Jharkhand (FTIJ) will initially operate from Suchna Bhawan in Ranchi.

The institute is expected to offer training in cinematography, direction, editing, sound design, animation, visual effects, documentary filmmaking and digital content production. The government expects the facility to reduce the need for aspiring filmmakers and media professionals from Jharkhand to seek specialised education outside the state.

The collaboration also aims to strengthen Jharkhand’s position as a filming destination. Prem Modi, a film director, said a dedicated institute, supported by a film policy, production infrastructure and a streamlined permission system, could attract more film projects to the state while creating employment in tourism, hospitality, transport and allied sectors.

Jharkhand’s forests, waterfalls, heritage sites, mining landscapes and indigenous traditions provide diverse locations and subjects for films and documentaries. The institute is expected to encourage documentation of tribal oral histories, folk music, Sohrai and Khovar art, and festivals such as Sarhul and Karma, while supporting the growth of local filmmaking.

The institute is also expected to contribute to the state’s creative economy by developing skilled professionals required across film, television, advertising, OTT platforms and digital media. If implemented as planned, the project could lay the foundation for a broader film ecosystem that supports content creation, investment and employment in Jharkhand.