A port city on India’s east coast wants to become the next home base for filmmakers, YouTubers and game studios. According to The Hindu‘s V. Kamalakara Rao, the Andhra Pradesh state government is planning a full film and creator economy ecosystem in Visakhapatnam (often called Vizag), and actor-producer Rana Daggubati has pledged to help build it.
A podcast pitch at an investment summit
The plan came together on stage. Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh’s minister for IT, electronics and human resources development, sat down with Daggubati for a live podcast on the sidelines of the CII Partnership Summit 2026 in Visakhapatnam on Friday, Nov. 13. Lokesh called the creator economy the next major wave of economic growth and said the state needs to go beyond the usual incentives for film shoots.
As The Hans India‘s Rani Devalla reports, Lokesh laid out a single ecosystem that would cover film studios, production and post-production facilities, gaming, digital content and other creative industries. Daggubati responded by committing to work with the government and industry players on an entertainment hub for creators working in film and other formats, and the two agreed to draw up a shared vision for making the state a creator economy destination.
The Hyderabad playbook
Lokesh pointed to Hyderabad, the neighboring Telangana capital, which grew into a major entertainment center on the back of its studios and its Film Nagar neighborhood. He argued Andhra Pradesh could repeat that with policy support and active involvement from the industry.
He also singled out YouTube productions, gaming and new digital formats as fast-growing opportunities. According to NewsMeter, Lokesh said smartphones and digital platforms have made content creation far more accessible, opening up jobs and entrepreneurship for young people, and he called for building the infrastructure and production facilities needed to attract filmmakers, content creators and entertainment companies.
A blueprint by Monday
Daggubati didn’t just nod along. NewsMeter reports he said he would start working on the initiative on Monday morning. According to Telugu Bulletin, Lokesh asked the actor to help prepare a blueprint for the state’s film, gaming and creator ecosystem, and when Daggubati promised one by Monday, Lokesh joked that it was the real “Speed of Doing Business.”
Telugu Bulletin also reports that Daggubati said his production company aims to begin film production activities in Visakhapatnam within the next year, and that he described the city as a “City of Destiny.” M9 News says Daggubati made the case for Telugu cinema’s pull, claiming Telugu audiences account for nearly 70% of Indian film industry revenue despite being about 10% of the population. That is his claim as reported; it was not presented with a source.
So far, no budget, site, timeline or formal agreement has been announced. What exists is a public commitment from a minister and a well-known producer to come up with a roadmap.
The takeaway
Governments are starting to treat creators the way they once treated film studios: as an industry worth courting with land, facilities and policy. Vizag’s plan is still a conversation, not a contract, but it fits a wider trend of cities and states competing to become creator hubs. For creators anywhere, it’s a reminder that the business side of content, from studios to production help, is increasingly something local governments want to build, and it’s worth watching what perks follow once the blueprint lands.
