Meghalaya Wraps First Film Under New Tourism Policy, Marks Milestone for Creative Economy

Meghalaya has completed its first full-length feature film under the Meghalaya Film Tourism Policy 2025, marking a significant step in the State’s push to position itself as a national filmmaking destination.

The Telugu crime-comedy Baa Baa Black Sheep, directed by Guni Manchikanti and produced by Chitralayam Studios, wrapped up its shoot after 25 days of filming entirely in the State.

The production, shot largely across the dramatic cliffs and valleys of Sohra, engaged nearly 2,000 local youths in various technical and creative roles—making it one of Meghalaya’s largest film-related employment efforts so far.

Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma welcomed the development, calling it an early example of what the State’s new film policy aims to achieve. “This Telugu film was completed in around 25 days, and 100% of the shoot took place here in Meghalaya. Close to 2000 of our local boys and girls were employed,” he said, adding that he hoped more national productions would consider Meghalaya a filming destination.

Producer Venu Donepudi credited the State’s support systems and the efficiency of local crews for enabling the team to complete a project of this scale at record speed. He noted that the film would also be released in Khasi and extended an invitation to the Chief Minister for the Hyderabad premiere.

The milestone comes as Meghalaya pushes ahead with its Vision 2032 roadmap, which identifies tourism and the creative economy as key drivers for achieving its economic targets. The Film Tourism Policy 2025—designed to attract both domestic and international productions—offers financial incentives of up to ₹1 crore or 25% of production costs for the first ten films to shoot in the State. Additional subsidies support local filmmakers, films using local cast and music, and content premiering on Hello Meghalaya, the State’s OTT platform.

Hello Meghalaya has quickly grown into a significant cultural platform, recording more than 4.4 lakh downloads and over 2 crore views. It now hosts more than 500 pieces of content, including 83 feature films in Khasi, Garo, and Pnar, and has onboarded over 125 filmmakers and more than 300 music and digital creators.

The upcoming release of Baa Baa Black Sheep—a fast-paced crime caper revolving around an eccentric gangster, bumbling friends, and a chaotic chase sparked by the discovery of Mahatma Gandhi’s missing watch—marks a notable moment for the State’s film ambitions. Its multilingual rollout, including a Khasi version, aligns with Meghalaya’s goal of promoting cultural visibility while attracting large-scale productions to its landscapes.

Also Read: Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma: New Northeast Regional Front Will Not Affect NPP’s NDA Alliance