Navalkar recently sent a proposal to the Public Welfare Department to convert Rang Bhavan, the open-air theatre at Dhobi Talao, into a multiplex comprising an auditorium with a capacity to seat 3,000 people, a mini theatre, a revolving restaurant and over 300 air-conditioned rooms which will be sold to cooperative societies and quasi-government bodies.

``Rang Bhavan can't be used during monsoons. One can't open it immediately after the rains either. It can't really be used during the day and at night only till 11.00 pm. I, therefore, suggested the idea of converting it into a multiplex,'' said Navalkar. A high-level meeting discussed the proposal some days back and sources said it was decided to rename Rang bhavan as Maharashtra Sanskrutik Bhavan in its new avataar.

Navalkar has been toying with the idea of replacingthe open-air theatre with an auditorium for a long time now. Twelve years ago, in his column Bhramanti, he had suggested the building of an auditorium on the open-air theatre's land. The land actually belonged to Navalkar's alma mater, the adjoining Elphinstone Highschool. He, along with some school mates had, in fact, opposed the open-air theatre when it was proposed more than 40 years ago. ``We held demonstrations, met officials. The protest, however, died out and the open-air theatre was constructed. We will now surely have an auditorium there,'' he insisted.

The fact that there is 40 years of history associated with Rang bhavan, however, does not bother him. Rang bhavan has played host to several major functions ranging from the prestigious Natya Darpan Rajani award function to the youthful Independence Rock Show.

The PWD minister, Nitin Gadkari, confirmed that the proposal was pending with his department. ``The cultural affairs minister and the chief minister expressed their desire to have anauditorium with a capacity of 3000 seats somewhere in south Mumbai. Rang bhavan seems to be just the right location. The chief architect has already created a model,'' he told Express Newsline.

The basement -- three floors p -- of the seven-storey structure would be used as a parking lot. There will be an auditorium with a capacity of at least 3000 seats on the ground floor of the building. Around 300 to 350 air-conditioned rooms will be built on the seven floors above. The plan is to sell these rooms to co-operative banks, organisations affiliated to the state's co-operative sector, municipal corporations, municipal councils, zilla parishads, sugar factories and other urban and/or rural outfits ``whose officials come to Mumbai very often.'' ``It is about a Rs 60-70 crore project,'' Gadkari said and added that the funds would come largely out of the sale of the rooms. ``Everything is a rough sketch at the moment, no decisions have been taken yet,'' Gadkari maintained.