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Gujarat Film City vision grows as Laalo crosses ₹100 crore

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Citara, Laalo Makers Express Interest in Developing Gujarat Film City at Laalo Team Felicitation Event

Citara, a leading name in the entertainment and media industry, felicitated the makers of the Gujarati blockbuster Laalo at a special ceremony, congratulating the team on achieving the remarkable milestone of Rs. 100 crore at the box office. In recent years, very few regional films have crossed this figure, making Laalo a landmark moment for Gujarati cinema. Industry observers say this success reflects a growing audience appetite for strong local stories told with high production values.

Citara founders Tutu Sharma and Rahul Nehra said, “Laalo has broken all records at our centres, including Jamkhambhali. We are enthused by this leap in cinematic excellence and are firmly on track to establish 25 screens across Gujarat in the next 12 to 18 months.” The expansion plan aligns with the rising demand for quality cinema spaces in smaller towns, where audiences are increasingly looking for modern viewing experiences closer to home.

The producer Ajay Balwant Padariya and director Ankit Sakhiya of the film, along with the Citara team, noted that this milestone is not just a celebration of present achievements but also a sign of exciting prospects ahead, as Team Laalo continues to inspire and entertain audiences across the country. Film experts point out that Gujarati films are now finding viewers beyond the state, especially among urban audiences and overseas Gujaratis.

Also present at the event were actors Maulik Chauhan, Shruhad Goswami, Karan Joshi and DoP Shubham Gajjar. Their presence highlighted the importance of teamwork in filmmaking, where performances, storytelling and visual craft come together to create a successful cinema experience. Cinematographers, in particular, are gaining recognition for bringing a fresh visual style to regional films.

The film has shattered records across Citara’s cinema network. Citara is a cinema-themed entertainment destination designed primarily for India’s Tier 2, 3 and 4 cities, offering small-capacity, technology-enabled theatres. Such formats are becoming popular as they allow better sound and picture quality while keeping ticket prices affordable, helping regional films reach wider audiences.

This achievement stands as a testament to Gujarati cinema coming of age and clearly marks its journey towards becoming the next major success story in Indian cinema. Over the last decade, Gujarati films have improved in script quality, music and technical standards, slowly building trust among viewers who once preferred only mainstream Hindi films.

At the felicitation ceremony, the producer and director of Laalo thanked the national and international Gujarati diaspora for placing their faith in the film and helping take Gujarati cinema to the Rs. 100 crore mark and beyond. The overseas Gujarati community has played a key role in supporting regional cinema through theatre screenings, special shows and word-of-mouth promotion.

They further added that the Laalo team’s relentless pursuit of quality and its strong emotional connection with audiences played a significant role in achieving this extraordinary feat. Films rooted in local culture and emotions often travel far when audiences see their own lives reflected on screen, a trend now visible across several regional film industries in India.

In a significant development, Citara and the makers of Laalo also expressed interest in developing a state-of-the-art Film City in Gujarat, along with a world-class media school. A detailed blueprint for the project is expected to be presented to the government soon. Film Cities in other states have helped attract productions, create jobs and boost tourism, making this proposal an important step for Gujarat.

The proposed Film City and media school aim to nurture Gujarati talent and establish Gujarat as an international creative hub, in line with the global vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. A strong media education ecosystem can help train future actors, technicians, writers and directors locally, reducing the need to move to other cities.

Industry insiders believe that if supported by policy and infrastructure, such initiatives could place Gujarat firmly on the national cinema map. With successful films like Laalo, expanding theatre networks like Citara and ambitious plans for film infrastructure, Gujarati cinema appears ready to enter a new phase of growth, confidence and global recognition.