Question

First Indian motion picture insured by a General Insurance company is

• A. Hum Apke Hain Kaun
• B. Taal
• C. Dil Se
• D. Ashoka

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The concept of insuring films in India began in the late 1990s, when producers and financiers realized the risks involved in film-making — including delays, accidents, damage to sets, illness of lead actors, natural calamities, or other unforeseen events that could cause huge financial losses. To protect investments, the Indian film industry gradually adopted film insurance, a practice already common in Hollywood.

Step 1 — About the film:
The first Indian motion picture to be insured by a general insurance company was “Taal” (1999), directed by Subhash Ghai and produced under Mukta Arts. The film starred Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, and Akshaye Khanna and went on to become a musical hit.

Step 2 — Importance of insuring Taal:
• Mukta Arts approached the General Insurance Corporation (GIC) of India to insure the film.
• The policy covered risks like loss of life or illness of actors, accidents, damage to film reels, natural disasters, and other production risks.
• This move marked the beginning of a new era in the Indian film industry, where financial institutions and insurance companies started providing security to film projects.

Step 3 — Impact on the film industry:
• After Taal, film insurance became a trend, especially for big-budget Bollywood projects.
• Later, movies like “Lagaan” (2001) and “Kal Ho Naa Ho” (2003) also followed this practice.
• Today, insurance is almost a necessity for large productions, covering not just the film but also sets, equipment, actors, and even release risks.

Final Answer:
The first Indian motion picture insured by a general insurance company was Taal. This corresponds to Option (B).