Hollywood-Bollywood to team up for joint film council

Hollywood and Bollywood are teaming up with the idea that more lights and more cameras mean more action across the movie industry.

Bobby Bedi with the Film and Television Producers Guild of India says the effort represents a beginning. He and other representatives of the Indian film industry came to Paramount Studios to sign the declaration that creates a joint LA-India film council along with LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

“This is the creation of a forum where a discussion is going to take place to protect each others properties, create business opportunities and create employment opportunities," Bedi said. "It’s too early to say what actually will happen with this. But we have a lot of hope."

Rather than Hollywood and Bollywood being in competition, Bedi says industries in both countries stand to gain.

"It's good for both Hollywood and Bollywood that they work together, and its good for them vis-à-vis the rest of the world also,” he said.

Villaraigosa says that this will promote film production of Indian films here in Los Angeles. He said that means more industry jobs.

He says it connects the industries in both countries and also connects "the American people with the Indian people.

"We’ll also be promoting American film production in India as well," he said.

The agreement aims to fight piracy in the film industry and it creates a joint Los Angeles-India Film Council to promote production in both countries.