BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha, popularly known as "Bihari Babu", has evinced interest in investing in Bihar and setting up a huge film city, which would be the first of its kind in the state.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said the government has forwarded Sinha's proposal to the state industrial promotion Board (SIPB). "Sinha's proposal will be studied by the SIPB, which will ask him to formally present the project proposal," said Modi, a senior BJP leader considered close to Sinha.

Sinha, in his proposal submitted earlier this month, has sought 100 acres of land for setting up the film city, said an official on the condition of anonymity.

"The government will have to search for such a big plot of land, because it may draw the ire of farmers and the opposition," the official told IANS.

Meanwhile, Sinha too confirmed his Bihar film city plans. His proposed film city will have latest TV and film studios, state-of-the-art technical facilities including song recording, editing, animation, sound mixing. It will also have a preview theatre and an acting school. He also plans a luxurious hotel to accommodate film stars and crew.

Sinha, who hails from Patna, reportedly said that his proposed film city will check large-scale migration of labourers to other states as it would provide employment to thousands of Biharis.

Earlier, filmmaker Prakash Jha had also expressed interest in investing in the development of Bihar.

Opposition leader Rabri Devi last week accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and state Janata Dal - United chief Rajiv Ranjan of being involved in a scam related to allotment of plots to Jha.

She said that the chief minister, in connivance with Ranjan, had made available land to Jha at throwaway prices for their personal benefit. Jha, who hails from a Bihar village, had campaigned for Nitish Kumar's JD-U during the 2005 assembly polls.