Nearly 2,000 local youth engaged; filmmakers invite CM for national premiere
Shillong, Nov 22: Meghalaya has achieved a major milestone in its creative economy ambitions with the completion of the first full-length feature film under the Meghalaya Film Tourism Policy 2025. Telugu feature Baa Baa Black Sheep, directed by Guni Manchikanti and produced by Chitralayam Studios, has wrapped its entire shoot in the State, with every frame captured amid the dramatic landscapes of Sohra.
Filmed in just 25 days, the project engaged close to 2,000 local youth across various departments, marking one of the State’s largest creative employment initiatives and reinforcing Meghalaya’s emergence as a professional filmmaking destination.
Baa Baa Black Sheep — a crime-comedy centred on a flamboyant gangster, misfit friends, eccentric criminals, and a chaotic city-wide chase sparked by the discovery of Mahatma Gandhi’s “missing watch” — is now gearing up for its national premiere.
Congratulating the team, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the production showcased Meghalaya’s readiness to support national-scale projects.
Under the Meghalaya Film Policy, the first movie has been completed. This is a Telugu film shot within 25 days, and 100% of the shooting took place right here in Meghalaya, mostly in the Sohra area. You will be happy to know that close to 2000 of our youths were employed during the shooting. I hope many more films will come and Meghalaya will become a very popular destination for this,” he said.
Producer Venu Donepudi praised the support system offered by the State and the high efficiency of local teams.
“It has been a great experience; under your leadership and the beautiful people of Meghalaya, we were able to complete a film of this scale in less than 30 days — around 25 days — which is going to be a record in itself,” he said, adding that the film will also release in a Khasi version. He extended an invitation to the Chief Minister for the premiere scheduled in Hyderabad.
Boost to the creative economy and tourism.
The film’s completion comes at a strategic moment, as Meghalaya’s Vision 2032 identifies tourism and the creative sector as major engines for economic growth — driving the State toward a $10 billion economy by 2028 and $16 billion by 2032.
The Meghalaya Film Tourism Policy 2025 offers a robust package of financial incentives, streamlined approvals through the Invest Meghalaya Portal, and targeted support to attract both national and international productions. Subsidies of up to ₹1 crore or 25% of the production cost are available for the first 10 films, with additional benefits for projects employing local cast and crew, incorporating local music, or premiering on Hello Meghalaya — the State’s official OTT platform.
Hello Meghalaya: A platform powering local stories
Hello Meghalaya has quickly become a cultural accelerator, amassing over 4.4 lakh downloads and 2 crore views. The platform currently hosts more than 500 works — including 83 feature films — created by over 125 local filmmakers and 300 digital content creators in Khasi, Garo and Pnar languages. Its integration with the Film Tourism Policy ensures a strong pipeline of fresh, locally rooted content.
The film stands as a testament to Meghalaya’s growing readiness to host major productions. Its multilingual release, including a Khasi version, reinforces the State’s commitment to cultural visibility and inclusive storytelling.
