Introduction
Indian cinema is living through a pivotal moment. The business has grown across languages, distribution models and formats, yet the rules that govern day to day filmmaking have not always kept pace. This is why the newly unveiled Draft Film Policy matters.
Producer and writer Harman Baweja has welcomed the draft with clear enthusiasm, describing it as the timely push the industry needs to raise standards, protect people on set and streamline how projects get made. Coming from a practitioner with a slate that ranges from the critically praised.
Why Harman Baweja’s Perspective Matters
Harman Baweja’s trajectory reflects a producer’s reality in today’s India. He has moved between Hindi and Tamil projects, balanced creative risk with operational discipline and worked with teams that span traditional theatrical and streaming centric pipelines. That mix exposes a producer to the full spectrum of challenges: permissions that take too long, patchy safety protocols, ad hoc training for new entrants and uneven adoption of workplace conduct norms.
When a producer with that vantage point calls a policy shift a step toward professionalism and accountability, it suggests the draft speaks to the issues that slow real sets. It also tells young filmmakers that the conversation is not abstract. It is about call sheets that start on time, hazard checks that happen before the first shot and a culture that refuses to treat best practice as optional.
What the Draft Film Policy Is Trying to Fix
The Draft Film Policy is currently open for public consultation. That status is important because it invites working professionals to stress test ideas before they become obligations. At its core, the draft attempts to do three things that have been widely discussed inside the industry but inconsistently implemented.
Make legal compliance non negotiable
The policy emphasizes mandatory adherence to the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act: POSH. In practice this means every production must have a clear complaints mechanism, an Internal Committee with trained members, induction briefings for cast and crew and visible communication about rights and responsibilities. It also means confidentiality and due process are respected, so the system protects the vulnerable while staying fair.
Build a pipeline of skilled talent
The draft encourages mentorship programs for emerging professionals. India produces passionate aspirants in every department: camera, art, costume, VFX, editing, production management and more. What they often lack is structured pathways into the workforce. Mentorship aligns newcomers with seasoned heads of department, speeds up skill transfer and reduces the sink or swim culture that burns out potential.
Create a forum that aligns industry and government
The proposed Film Development Council aims to serve as a bridge between the creative community and public authorities. The goal is coordination. Locations, safety codes, training standards, incentives and single window permissions work best when the people who use them and the people who regulate them collaborate instead of working in parallel. A council format can capture feedback from the ground and translate it into steady policy improvements.
Safer Sets: What POSH Compliance Looks Like Day to Day
Clear onboarding
Every new hire attends a short induction that covers expected conduct, reporting channels, confidentiality safeguards and the right to a workplace free of harassment. This is included alongside safety, fire, electrical and stunt briefings.
Trained points of contact
At least one producer representative and one crew member are trained to receive and escalate concerns. Their names and phone numbers appear on call sheets and are posted on notice boards near the production office and craft area.
Incident handling with timelines
If an issue is raised, there is a documented process: initial acknowledgement, preliminary assessment, referral to the Internal Committee and a timeline for the committee’s steps. The process is designed to minimize disruption to work while prioritizing dignity and fairness.
Respectful culture from the top
Nothing substitutes for leadership. When producers and directors model respectful communication, the rest of the team follows. This starts with small habits: private feedback instead of public dress downs, zero tolerance for sexist jokes and sensitivity around costumes, intimacy and late night logistics.
Mentorship That Actually Works
Defined goals and timeframes
Each mentee signs on with clear targets: for example, learn continuity paperwork in two weeks, shadow lighting setups for three scenes, cut a two minute assembly under supervision by the end of the shoot. Specific outcomes beat vague promises.
Credit and accountability
Mentors receive recognition in end credits and performance reviews. Mentees receive demonstrable credit for tasks owned. The industry respects credit. Tying credit to mentorship encourages participation and seriousness.
Diverse and inclusive entry points
Mentorship must reach beyond the obvious. Regional candidates, public college graduates and professionals returning to work after a break add strength to crews. Selection processes that look for potential and persistence, not just previous access, naturally diversify the talent pool.
A Film Development Council That Solves Real Problems
A consistent safety code for all sets
Basic safety should not depend on budget. A single code can define minimum requirements: certified electricians for high load setups, mandatory risk assessments for stunts, intimacy coordination for intimate scenes, medical kits and trained first responders on major units and documented rest periods for drivers and crew.
A single window that actually moves
Producers often juggle permissions from multiple departments. A well run single window backed by the council can consolidate applications, standardize fees and publish processing timelines. Visibility is power. When producers can track progress, they can plan better and avoid surprise holds.
Incentive clarity with predictable audits
If states offer incentives, the rules and paperwork should be public, simple and consistent across financial years. Standard audits reassure taxpayers, and predictability lets producers budget without fear of retroactive changes.
How Daily Production Could Improve
Scheduling becomes honest
Realistic turnarounds, protected meal breaks and accurate overtime logging create sustainable crews. The payoff is fewer mistakes, lower injury risk and better morale. A rested camera team lights faster. A respected art department solves problems earlier.
What It Means for Regional Industries and OTT
India is not one market. It is many thriving ecosystems in multiple languages that trade talent and technology. Streaming platforms also benefit from uniform expectations. When originals shoot in several states, a shared playbook for safety, conduct, permits and credits saves time and reduces legal exposure.
Alignment across jurisdictions
Film shoots often span cities and states. Coordination among local bodies is essential so that one set of approvals is not undone by another. The council can create inter agency protocols and escalation ladders to keep projects moving.
A Practitioner’s View: What Good Looks Like on Set
Picture a day on a mid budget film under the new regime. The first half hour is a safety and conduct huddle that covers the day’s scenes, stunts, intimacy beats and logistics. Names and numbers for reporting any concern are read out. The call sheet carries a QR code that links to the production’s conduct policy, safety plan and emergency contacts.
Measuring Success: Simple, Trackable Metrics
The policy’s spirit will show up in data such as training completion rates, average permission turnaround times, incident resolution timelines, insurance claims accepted, injury free days and mentorship graduation counts. Publishing anonymized, aggregate data each quarter would keep everyone honest and allow continuous improvement.
Conclusion
Harman Baweja’s endorsement of the Draft Film Policy reads as a vote for a grown up industry. His filmography, which spans the critically received Mrs. and an eclectic slate that crosses languages and tones, gives his words the credibility of practice. The draft’s emphasis on POSH compliance, structured mentorship and a Film Development Council aligns with what professionals need most, safer sets, clearer pathways for talent and a forum that turns on set realities into policy refinements.
This is a rare opportunity to convert good intentions into muscle memory. If the community engages with the consultation, insists on practical design and refuses to treat compliance as a box ticking exercise, Indian cinema can build a culture where safety, respect and efficiency are basic features, not bonus extras. Professionalism and accountability will not stifle creativity. They will protect it. That is the promise of the Draft Film Policy and the reason voices from the floor, like Baweja’s, are right to champion it now.