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Sanjay Jog
Mumbai, July 16: The Shiv Sena-affiliated Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (BKS) has thwarted the state government's proposal to privatise Film City or "Chitranagari" spread on 517 acres of land in north Mumbai. The board of directors of the state-run Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development Corporation (MFSCDC) had to defer the proposal at its meeting held on Wednesday following stiff opposition from the BKS.
Top BKS sources told The Financial Express on Thursday that it will launch an agitation against the state government if it presses for the proposal. "We will oppose it as the MFSCDC is a profit-making undertaking and has posted about Rs 1.50-crore profit in 1997-98," sources added.
Mantralaya sources confirmed the deferrment of the proposal by the board. The government wishes to make the Film City up to international standards with the involvement of private sector on build-operate-transfer or build-operate-lease-transfer basis.
So far, a company promoted by the newly-appointed Rajya Sabha Mumbai, July 16: The Shiv Sena-affiliated Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (BKS) has thwarted the state government's proposal to privatise Film City or "Chitranagari" spread on 517 acres of land in north Mumbai. The board of directors of the state-run Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development Corporation (MFSCDC) had to defer the proposal at its meeting held on Wednesday following stiff opposition from the BKS.
Top BKS sources told The Financial Express on Thursday that it will launch an agitation against the state government if it presses for the proposal. "We will oppose it as the MFSCDC is a profit-making undertaking and has posted about Rs 1.50-crore profit in 1997-98," sources added.
Mantralaya sources confirmed the deferrment of the proposal by the board. The government wishes to make the Film City up to international standards with the involvement of private sector on build-operate-transfer or build-operate-lease-transfer basis.
So far, a company promoted by the newly-appointed Rajya Sabhamember Pritish Nandy (Sena), and Asia Television Network (ATN) have submitted their proposals. The Pritish Nandy company's proposal envisages taking over Film City for a 50-year lease and its development in collaboration with an US company. The company's contribution will be Rs 15.37 crore.
The ATN proposal envisages setting up of a state-of-the-art film and television studios to attract domestic and international film industry. The total outlay for this project is expected to be Rs 60 crore and ATN has expressed its willingness to discuss a royalty payment to the state government from the gross revenue in lieu of the land alloted.
ATN plans to develop modern studio complex to provide cost-effective one-stop shop facilities to film-makers and TV software producers of international standards. So far over Rs 150 crore has been spent on the development of indoor facilities including every pre-and post-production facility and an incredible variety of sets and outdoor locations. Film City, set up in 1977, has15 airconditioned and non-airconditioned studios, a two-storied studio complex building and make-up and overnight rooms.
The edition rooms are fitted with Steenbeck machines, while the equipment section provides popular, state-of-the-art movie cameras and other accessories. A modern airconditioned studio has been recently constructed and will have the facility of computerised movement of light. A prototype on the lines of the Universal Studio set was being planned for construction. Film City, which has a modern film-processing laboratory in collaboration with Adlabs, can process 355 mm, 16 mm, reduction prints and blow-up prints of all types.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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