# Maharashtra will invest in Marathi films to woo Gen-Z audience 2026-08-18T08:12:10+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets The Maharashtra government will invest in producing modern, tech-driven Marathi cinema aimed at the Gen-Z audience, state Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar said on Tuesday. Speaking at a seminar organised by the Maharashtra Film, Theatre and Cultural Development Corporation, Shelar urged filmmakers to use artificial intelligence and high-end visual effects while preserving the essence of the Marathi language. Shelar said the quality and innovation in Marathi films are abundant, but the industry needs to study screens, distribution and the audience. He said the government would play the role of an investor if a viable model is developed. Citing the emotional connect of South Indian cinema, he stated Marathi cinema must build a new generation of viewers with an emotional link to the language and its films. Swati Mhase Patil, managing director of Film City, said the studio complex should evolve into a complete ecosystem for the industry. She noted that smartphones, smart TVs and OTT platforms have changed how films are made and consumed, creating both challenges and opportunities. Film City is working on infrastructure, skill development and technology, she added. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com - thehindu.com This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Tags: Ashish Shelar, film city, Maharashtra government, Marathi cinema Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/maharashtra-will-invest-in-marathi-films-to-woo-gen-z-audience/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/maharashtra-will-invest-in-marathi-films-to-woo-gen-z-audience/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/