NASHIK, August 13: A memorial to the father of Indian cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke, is yet to take shape, despite the plans being mooted ten years ago, owing to the collective apathy of the film industry, the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the State Government.

Phalke, in whose name the highest national award to a film personality is given every year, hailed from Nashik. He is credited with having made the first Indian film -- Raja Harishchandra -- in 1913. The national award was instituted after his death.

In 1986-87, the then municipal administrator of Nashik, Ratnakar Kulkarni evolved the idea of building a memorial to Phalke in Nashik. A committee was formed and meetings with eminent film personalities were held. However, the project received a lukewarm response. In 1991, the State Government handed over 29.50 acres of land at the foothills of the Pandava Caves (about ten kilometres from Nashik along the Mumbai-Agra national highway) to the NMC. The plans were drawn in 1993-94 and the project cost was estimated at Rs 4.87 crore. The project was finally cleared in 1994. However, certain conditions were imposed.

These included a ceiling on the height of the memorial at seven feet, construction of an archaeological section, a museum, three exhibition halls, a mini theatre, an amphitheatre and landscape including hoardings) at the site.

The cost has gone from Rs 4.87 crore to Rs 7.75 crore and is expected to escalate.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.