After scooping eight Oscars, Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire is all set for a dream run in Rajasthan with a possible tax exemption. The state government is planning to give a waiver to the film after it was declared tax-free in Maharashtra, Assam, Delhi and Haryana.

A committee, headed by state tourism, art and culture minister Bina Kak, attended a special screening of the movie on Wednesday and recommended that the film should be given 100% tax exemption across the state.

“We have recommended it to chief minister Ashok Gehlot since he is also looking after the finance ministry. We have urged him to grant the film a waiver from entertainment tax,”

said Kak.

Asked if the recommendation comes only because AR Rehman and Resul Pookutty brought home the Oscars, Kak said, “No, after watching the film we found that it depicts the story of a boy from the slums and goes on to become a hero from a zero. I think such stories should be told to the society and this film would be an inspiration for many.”

Once the exemption of entertainment tax comes in place, more and more people would be able to watch the film.

It is also said that films which are shot extensively in Rajasthan or the films like Chak De India which have some national interest usually enjoy exemption from entertainment tax.

“Extensively shot means 75% of the film should be shot in Rajasthan and 75% duration of the film should depict Rajasthan or its villages in it. Those filmmakers whose request to waive off entertainment tax is rejected it is because their movies are shot here for lesser duration,” Kak said.

Meanwhile, elated with the proposal to give a tax waiver to Slumdog Millionaire, distributor of the film Sanjay Chattar said, “In the era of hi-tech communication where news about this film winning Oscars has reached every hamlet, it would be good to screen the film for the village audience.”

Bina Kak, Tourism, art and culture minister

We have recommended it to Ashok Gehlot since he is also looking after the finance ministry. We have urged him to grant the film a waiver from entertainment tax.”