13 July,2024 03:29 PM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu
Singham Again and Heeramandi are among the recent projects shot in Film City
For decades, the Film City in Goregaon has been the hub of countless movie and television shoots. But of late, many in the entertainment circle feel that the property is unable to accommodate the burgeoning film industry's demands. On July 10, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) had a meeting with Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Maharashtra's Revenue Minister, to discuss their proposal of the state investing R10,000 crore in constructing a new Film City.
The AICWA underlined that the existing Film City is primarily situated on forest land, rendering it impossible to expand further. Citing the example of Uttar Pradesh's in-the-works Film City, which boasts proximity to metro stations and an airport, they emphasised the need for a new facility in Mumbai. Suresh Shyamlal Gupta, President, AICWA, shares, "We met with Patil Sir, and he has assured us that he will take up the matter with the Chief Minister [Eknath Shinde] and Ajit Pawar [Deputy Chief Minister]. The existing Film City cannot be developed further. Our infrastructure doesn't match up [to the needs] of the film industry. The UP government has ensured that there is metro and airport connectivity, and everything possible [in the Noida Film City]. What is done for Bollywood here?"
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While it is still at the discussion stage, Gupta hopes the concerned authorities will take prompt action. "If you drive through Film City, you'll see that the roads are broken, there are no street lights, and the roofs of sets are leaking. We have requested that 500 acres of land around Mumbai be identified, and work on a bigger studio set-up begins. No one is asking them to cut forest land. That should be preserved at all costs."
In the proposal, the AICWA has recommended that the new property have important features. One of the suggestions is that it could include hostels. "About 60 lakh people come to work here every year, and more than 50 per cent of them return [after being unable to make ends meet]. Hostels can be built for them. A filmmaking institute can be made. Today, most of the studios are sold or on the verge of sale - from RK Studios to Filmistan. Shoots in Mumbai have reduced a lot. For our heritage and employment, this needs to be done."
