Hyderabad Gets Five World-Class Film Studios

Annapurna Studios, one of the leading film production centers in India, has added five state-of-the-art studios in Hyderabad with an investment of Rs 100 crore. The production house is hoping to target Hollywood with the cheaper labor and studio rentals in India.

The 1000,000 sq ft climate-controlled movie production studios are Asia's most modern studios, offering "concept-to-can" facility.

Akkineni Nagarjuna, popular Telugu actor and managing director of Annapurna Studios, said that the air conditioned studios with integrated facilities are on par with international standards.

Annapurna Studios, founded by his father and legendary actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao three decades ago, will throw open the new facility in a week. "We hope to attract Hollywood. We are already getting some inquiries," said Nagarjuna.

Hollywood looks to India as less expensive. "India offers Hollywood less expensive labor, junior artists and the studio rentals are also low here," he said.

He said Bollywood would be the first target of Annapurna. He pointed out that very few studios in Mumbai had the kind of facilities which his studio offers.

Nagarjuna expects Rs 45 to Rs 50 crore turnover by the end of 2013 from the new facility.

Annapurna Studios spread over 22 acres in Banjara Hills, already has five studio floors.

Annapurna Studios last year opened a film and media school, which has so far trained 100 students in different fields of film, television and media.